Amber Whiteley: The woman leading Liverpool through key period

Beard enjoyed huge success with Liverpool across two spells with the club – first winning back-to-back WSL titles, before overseeing their promotion from the second tier in 2022.

But with Liverpool sitting seventh and nine points above bottom side Crystal Palace, the club made the bold decision to part ways last week.

Liverpool felt they could not afford to stagnate with clubs in the WSL growing ever-stronger and Whiteley got off to the perfect start with a 1-0 victory over Palace.

She admits it is now an “important period” for Liverpool as they approach a crossroads, uncertain on what the future will be.

“We have been a little bit stop-start up until now. It’s important for us to build some consistency and finish the season strongly,” said Whiteley.

“It’s important to give us a platform to work on. It’s also important for the fans. We want to produce football that they enjoy watching and want to get behind.

“I think we can do that in the next couple of months. There is lots to play for.”

Liverpool’s recruitment process is already under way as they look to appoint a permanent manager but Whiteley said she will “throw her name in the hat”.

She has climbed up the ranks at Liverpool and was previously the head coach of the under-21s, before her first interim spell in charge in 2021.

She expects to be in temporary charge again until the end of the season but could Whiteley follow in the footsteps of Sunday’s opponent Renee Slegers, who proved her worth in an interim spell at Arsenal before being offered the permanent job?

“It’s definitely a role I’m interested in and will put in for. But that recruitment process goes to one side and I have to focus on the day-to-day,” said Whiteley.

“From my interim period previously, the biggest thing I took away was that I was capable of doing the job.

“I am in a far better position having had the time with Matt [Beard] and working under him.

“When these opportunities come about, you have to stand up and show exactly what you are capable of. It’s really important to do that as a female coach too.”