Liverpool dare to dream and 'spoil' Arsenal party after seven-year wait

When Matt Beard was asked in his pre-Arsenal press conference about the prospect of picking up an elusive away win at the Emirates, the Liverpool boss broke into a big grin.

After failing to pick up a single victory on the road last term, triumphing over the Gunners in their own back yard would certainly be a spectacular way to break the Reds' duck away from home. "What a way it would be," Beard had beamed, enthralled by the possibility.

His reaction spoke volumes about the scale of the challenge Liverpool were facing in north London. Arsenal finished third in the top flight last term, four places and 24 points above their visitors, and were entering the new campaign with their sights firmly set on winning the Women's Super League (WSL) title.

Jonas Eidevall's side had bolstered their squad over the summer with the likes of England striker Alessia Russo and World Cup winner Laia Codina. They were set to be spurred on at the Emirates by a WSL-record crowd of more than 54,000. Liverpool hadn't beaten them - home or away - for seven years.

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Even the most sanguine of Reds supporters would have had to concede that getting a positive result in the capital was improbable, and getting a win close to impossible.

And yet, when the final whistle blew on Sunday afternoon, it was the pocket of Liverpool fans in the South East corner of the stadium who were in full voice, euphoric after witnessing one of the biggest WSL upsets in recent memory. Miri Taylor's goal - her first since joining the club in January - had won it for the visitors, and the travelling fans were determined to bask in the