Our women’s team are entering a busy period of big games, starting with Sunday’s trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool in the Women’s Super League.

That will be followed by a return to UEFA Women’s Champions League action against Barcelona at Camp Nou, before we’re back at Emirates Stadium against London City Lionesses and then Lyon at Meadow Park.

Renée Slegers was asked in her pre-match press conference on Thursday if the next four games are a defining period for our season.

“I think everything is defining,” she replied. “It was at the start of the season and it's even more so now. So every moment we have is important for us and for where we want to end up, results, how we want to present ourselves, how we want to make the club and the supporters proud as well. So every moment is defining, we know that. 

“The run of games that are ahead of us, they're challenging and exciting games. Liverpool, we remember that game from last year, it was the last game in an Arsenal shirt for a couple of players and it was a special game for us. It was a special moment for us. We have good memories of the football that we played there. 

“Everything is new now, but we'll want to take that into the game on Sunday as well, and then the run of games, there's of course two big Champions League games coming up. We're in a good position in the league phase, now of course facing Barcelona and Lyon in the next two, which we look forward to, to the big challenges, and then London City we have.”

Asked what the energy in the team has been like at the Sobha Realty Training Centre this week, our head coach continued: “To be clear, when I say energy, at the end of the day I’m responsible for the group, so it’s my responsibility and in addition, it’s the collective responsibility to create the energy. The energy is there of course, but it’s about how that expresses itself. 

“There’s motivation and ambition to do better and turn this around among the staff and players, but I take full responsibility for the environment that we need to create.

“I can only say we’ve been very specific with the type of actions we need to generate energy for us, but the players have been really engaged, speaking up a lot, and we’ve had two or three sessions where the energy has been really good.”

Liverpool go into this game 11th in the table during a disappointing run of form, but Gareth Taylor’s side do have the fifth best attacking record in the division with 13 goals scored in eight matches.

One reporter wanted to find out what had impressed Slegers most about Liverpool this season.

“I think they had a really good second half of the season last year as well,” she added. “The game that we played there at Anfield last year, the first half, they were really brave and aggressive in their press. I think that's something they do well. 

“They're very structured with their in-possession, out-of-possession way they play. I think they've added some players to their squad as well. It looks really well balanced and I think they make it difficult for teams. And they will try to do that on Sunday as well, which we'll have to break down.”