Healy: Every game is dangerous in the WSL

Healy deputised for Marc Skinner at Friday morning's press conference, as the manager awaits the birth of his second child.

Sunday sees the Reds back in Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) action at Leigh Sports Village, following a dominant FA Cup performance against Brighton & Hove Albion last time out.

The assistant coach spoke to the press about the FA Cup and our next opponents, and shared some injury news.

LAST WEEKEND’S PERFORMANCE WAS PLEASING

"We were really pleased with the result against Bristol City. It was obviously a big game. We wanted to get into the semi-final. We knew it would be a difficult game but we were really pleased with the performance and I think we've had spells in different games where we've performed well in.

"I think when we reviewed the West Ham game the week before, we were really disappointed that we hadn't seen the game out better. We felt that we could have been two or three-nil up at half time and that game then becomes a different game.

"So it was really important that once we scored the first goal against Brighton, we knew that they had threats, that they could hurt you, so to get the second goal and the third goal like we did, we were really pleased with that and with how we saw the game out. Also our performance with and without the ball."

WE WANT TO WIN THE FA CUP

"We're really excited. We want to be in the semi-final of the FA Cup. Every player in our changing room wants to win the FA Cup and go one better than last year. To do that you have to beat good teams.

"Whether we had drawn Chelsea, Leicester or Tottenham, we knew it was going to be a tough semi-final. But if you want to win the cup, you've got to beat the teams that you get drawn against.

"So we're really excited for the game. We're excited that it's at home. We want to make sure that the fans come and make the stadium a fortress for us and cheer us on to hopefully get ourselves back to Wembley."

WE DON’T UNDERESTIMATE BRISTOL

"I think every game is dangerous  in this league. You only have to look at results across the league to see that every team can cause threats on the day. We know Lauren Smith's team will be organised. We know they'll have a lot of fight and from the games I've watched, Bristol have played really well in some of those games, even when they haven't picked up the results.

"I saw Lauren's press conference yesterday when she said that people will have them already beaten. We definitely don't. We've worked really hard this week to make sure that we're prepared, that we build on the Brighton performance and there'll be no underestimating Bristol this week, that's for sure."

LISA HAS WORKED REALLY HARD

"We always knew Lisa's [Naalsund] qualities when we signed her. She had a really difficult start when she came in but we obviously got her fit. She then did a hamstring against Lewes. So she missed a really significant period and it does take time to adapt to this league as well.

"She's had to be patient but she's worked really hard, really honing down certain things that we had identified that she needed to improve, and she's done really well with that.

"It's great to see her getting some more minutes, but she's earned those minutes. She's given us something different and there's even more to come from Lisa. I have no doubt."

AN INJURY UPDATE

"So Jayde [Riviere] obviously featured for us last weekend. She's back and she's trained all week. She's in good spirits and she's ready to go. Geyse came back on Wednesday, so she was very jet lagged but did a session. She'll be training as normal today and ready to go for the weekend.

"Leah Galton missed last week and she will also be unavailable this week. She's got a slight thigh strain, but other than that, it's the same with the long-term injuries. Emma [Watson] has been back on the grass running and passing the ball, which she's delighted with. [We are] stepping up her rehab, which has been really nice to see. Gabby [George] and Jess [Simpson] are the same. Jess will hopefully be back on the pitch in a couple of weeks.

"Safia [Middleton-Patel] has an elbow irritation, so that's currently being assessed. Evie Rabjohn has stepped up her rehab and she played 60 minutes on Wednesday for our Under-21 second team. So everyone is heading in the right direction which is nice."