What Manchester United did this weekend is proof of Liverpool progress

Bruised and battle-weary, the Liverpool players made their slow procession around the pitch.

It had been an arduous Sunday afternoon, during which Matt Beard's side had done just enough to edge out Women's Super League (WSL) strugglers Brighton & Hove Albion. It hadn't been pretty - far from it - but it was another example of the Reds' burgeoning steeliness; a characteristic that has discernably underpinned their top flight revival this term.

To get some perspective on the extent of Liverpool's steady recent progress, one only has to assess the current state of play at Leigh Sports Village. While Manchester United's 1-0 victory at Prenton Park on the final day of last season might not have been enough to yield the club's first ever WSL title, it did serve to highlight the gaping chasm that continued to exist between the Reds and their long-standing archrivals.

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United had finished the campaign 33 points better off than Beard's side, pushing behemoths Chelsea all the way in the league and reaching the FA Cup final. Although Liverpool had enjoyed a largely agreeable return to the top flight - having only been promoted the previous summer - it looked as if the Reds were a long way off competing with their Mancunion foe.

Fast forward to now and just two meagre points separate the two teams in the league table. United still have the edge, just, and are currently residing in fourth place.

But Liverpool are hot on their heels and the form book will inspire hope within the Reds' ranks that they can keep pace with Skinner's side until the end of