READING FC WOMEN restart their Women’s Super League campaign with a trip to Merseyside on Sunday.
Making their first outing of 2023, the Royals will be looking to push up the table after making a more positive end to the year before the break.
Prior to the winter hiatus, Kelly Chambers’ side won three of their last four matches in all competitions.
Reading’s impressive performances at the back end of 2022 saw manager Chambers nominated for the Women’s Super League manager of the month award for December.
After picking up a 3-0 away win at Southampton in the Conti Cup, Reading followed that up with an excellent 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in the WSL to take them further clear of bottom side Leicester City.
After going 3-0 down early on to current WSL champions Chelsea at Kings Meadow, the Royals almost made a remarkable comeback to shock the Blues.
Chelsea managed to hold on by the skin of their teeth despite Reading clawing themselves back in the contest with two goals in two minutes with strikes from Sanne Troelsgaard and Amalie Eikeland.
After 10 matches, Reading are currently 10th in the WSL table, seven points clear of the drop zone over Leicester who have failed to pick up a point in any of their nine matches.
Reading rounded off the year in style with a thumping 4-0 success at Championship side Coventry United in the Conti Cup with a Natasha Dowie brace and goals from Troelsgaard and Charlie Wellings.
Sunday’s opponents Everton have had a mixed start to the first-half of their league campaign.
After nine matches, the Toffees sit in sixth with 12 points after collecting four wins and five losses.
After losing three consecutive league matches, Everton got themselves back on track in their final WSL match of 2022 by picking up three points on the road at Spurs.
An impressive away display saw them stroll to victory with goals from Katja Snoeijs, Jess Park and Giovana to take a 3-0 win.
Reading were victorious on their last visit to Everton in February 2022.
The Toffees took an early lead through Anna Anvegard, but the Royals turned the game on its head with two goals in the final 15 minutes through Dowie and Tia Primmer.
