Guro Bergsvand admits she was a bit sceptical when Mikey Harris first delivered his vision for Albion’s women.

He expected them to go to Manchester United and dominate possession.

Harris had just come over from the men’s academy, playing what has become the Albion way, and was keen to take that to the WSL squad.

Under Melissa Phillips, they had been playing a style with less possession which, skipper Vicky Losada has late identified, did not really suit the players.

Harris was brought in as interim head coach when Phillips was dismissed early in 2024.

Bergsvand, the Norway defender signed last summer, said: “I remember when he first came, the first day he said we were going to have more possession than United.

“That was his first game. I was a little sceptical because it meant we had to change a lot.

“But I think Mikey has come in with a really good attitude and he has been able to get all the players on his path or the way he wants to play.

“Obviously we are all going to make mistakes sometimes but I think everybody is enjoying playing the way we are playing right now.”

Albion have moved clear of any relegation danger under Harris’s guidance on what remains an interim basis.

His situation will be reviewed after the four remaining games of the season.

They are playing better football and have secured some valuable wins, all of them away from home.

The season has not really followed the path expected when they raced into an early 2-0 lead at Everton in their opening match, which was eventually won 2-1.

But it has an upbeat feel ahead of the return fixture against the Toffees at the Amex this evening.

Bergsvand said: “I think our season has been a lot of ups and downs.

“That first game, we started out on a good game, then we had a few tough games.

“We beat (Manchester) City, we had a new coach. I think the season has been a roller coaster.

“What we have started in the last few months has been good and hopefully we will be able to beat Everton two out of two this season.”

Albion’s aim is to be an established top-four team but, for the second successive season, they have had to stave off a degree of concern about retaining WSL status.

Asked whether there had any been any worry about that, Bergsvand said: “I wouldn’t say worried. We have always wanted to just get better.

“There are so many games throughout the season and you can’t really start, especially at the beginning, thinking about the consequences.

“I think you just need to try and do whatever you can in every situation and make the best out of it.

“I think as a team that is what we have done.

“When you have a lot of new players and you have differences in staff, the performances are going to vary, go up and down.

“Where we are right now, we are in a good spot and hopefully we will get a lot out of the next four games.”