Liverpool forward Olivia Smith going to get hurt if treatment not punished – boss Beard
Liverpool manager Matt Beard says record signing Olivia Smith “could be hurt” if opponents continue to ignore the “treatment” she received.
The 20-year-old scored her third league goal Liverpool beat Brighton 2-1 in the Women’s Super League on Friday night but was substituted in the second half after Beard claimed she had injured her ribs.
Before Friday’s game, according to statistics provided by Opta, Smith had been fouled 20 times, the most of any Liverpool player this season, second only to West Ham United forward Viviane Asseyi. 21 fouls in the WSL.
Beard said the club sent video footage to the Professional Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December highlighting what they believed was an unacceptable level of fouling against Smith.
However, PGMOL sources told BBC Sport they have yet to receive footage from Liverpool.
Beard said it had become “obvious” that opponents were targeting Smith and that she was “not being protected by officers.”
“I don’t think we got a response. We sent the clip before Christmas,” Beard added.
“As usual (against Brighton) she had the bump kicked out of her. She deserves a lot of credit. We sent clips to (former referee) Rebecca Welch and PGMOL to show what she was getting treatment.
“I said to Olivia that she needed to take it as a compliment, but there was only so much she could take. Everyone saw that clearly.
“At some point, if not dealt with, she could be harmed. They should be punished. Rules are rules.”
The PGMOL has previously said it will communicate with clubs throughout the season, with WSL teams able to submit feedback after games.
But Smith, who joined Liverpool from Sporting CP for £210,000 last June, said: “When it happens every game it’s hard not to lose your mind.
“It’s not just in a game like this. There’s only so much I can do, so I try to stay calm.
“I’ve gotten used to it over the last few games, especially in this league. It’s probably the biggest league in the world, so that’s a compliment.”
