‘I feel like I’ve got a new lease of life’

The centre-back has played the full 90 minutes of both of our WSL fixtures this season - the 4-0 opening-day victory over Reading and Sunday’s 2-0 triumph away to West Ham – having built her way back to fitness during pre-season.

Following the win in the capital, she expressed her delight at being out on the pitch with her team-mates.

"Honestly, I feel like I’ve got a new lease of life,” she said. “It’s so good to be back.

“I’m just buzzing every single time I get to go out there with the girls, and hopefully I can help them get the three points.”

The 26-year-old was pleased to keep a second consecutive clean sheet, against the Hammers, continuing a fruitful partnership alongside summer arrival Maya Le Tissier at the heart of the Reds' defence.

“It was a big shift,” she admitted. “It’s always hard to come away to West Ham.

“They always put in big challenges, and they get tight around us, so it’s a good result to come away with the three points."

She added praise for Le Tissier, stating: “Maya has been brilliant. She’s been a breath of fresh air.

“She’s come in with a bit of youth and she’s brilliant. She wants to learn and it’s so good to have her out there with us.”

Next up is a Continental Women’s League Cup clash with Aston Villa on Saturday (12:30 BST), a fixture Turner hopes the Reds can win to continue our impressive early-season form.

“Momentum is really important, always,” she declared. “It’s important that we can carry on getting these good results, as well as performances.

"We’ll see how it goes, and [we will] try and get as many points on the table [as possible].”