Bethany England: “We want to close that gap on Liverpool”
Sat 16 March 2024, 12:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
Bethany England is keen to put the success of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup to one side and put the focus back on the Barclays Women’s Super League ahead of our return on Sunday afternoon (2pm UK).
Leicester City are the visitors to Brisbane Road, where we are unbeaten in five WSL games against them, winning four alongside the 1-1 draw earlier in the campaign as Celin Bizet cancelled out Janice Cayman’s opener.
We head into the game on the back of a historic victory in the Women’s FA Cup, securing a spot in the last four of the competition for the first time, and have been drawn at home to the Foxes – scheduled to take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday 14 April.
Reflecting on a memorable evening last weekend, Bethany told Inside Spurs: “It was amazing for the Club by making history to reach our first semi-final in the FA Cup. So, I’m really chuffed for the team and I’m glad that we were able to get past them as previous times we have played them has always been difficult, but we showed our resilience and got the job done.”
Watch - Matchday Uncut | Spurs Women 1-1 (4-3 on pens) Man City Women
The Foxes have been on a good run of form since the turn of the year, winning six of their nine games, and are currently sat seventh in the table, just three points behind us, with our captain keen to put the sole focus back on the league this weekend.
Bethany added: “We are still on a mission to climb as much as we can up the table and get as many points as we can. There is three points between us and Leicester, so it could swing either way, but we want to close that gap on Liverpool.
“We need to put the FA Cup to one side and approach this in a completely different manner to what people would probably expect. We can’t get carried away because we haven’t won anything yet…we do need to keep level-headed and realise everything is still to play for and, regardless of what happens on Sunday, that won’t dictate what will happen in the semi-final. We will have to approach it as it comes and be ready for whatever they throw at us.
Our number nine has a terrific record against the Foxes, with six goal involvements (four goals and two assists) in four games and, most recently, scoring that stunning goal last season to secure a vital 1-0 victory.
After netting her third goal of the campaign last weekend against City, Bethany was asked about targets heading into the closing stages of the season.
She said: “We all set ourselves targets. For me, it has been an up-and-down season but, for now, it’s just about being on the pitch and when I am, doing the best I can and score as many as I can. So, at this point, there’s no need putting pressure on what I need to do as I know what I can do.”
