The former assistant boss, who took over from Matt Beard when he was sacked last week, has fresh ideas and is ready to showcase her ability as a coach.

She has a Women’s FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal to navigate on Sunday (14:30 GMT kick-off), before she attempts to lead Liverpool back towards the top in the league.

Having defied the odds to finish fourth last season, Liverpool have struggled for consistency this year, while clubs around them continue to invest and strengthen.

The Reds are now playing catch up before what could be a huge summer in the transfer window – so can Whiteley guide Liverpool back to where they want to be?

Beard enjoyed huge success with Liverpool across two spells with the club – first winning back-to-back WSL titles, before overseeing their promotion from the second tier in 2022.

But with Liverpool sitting seventh and nine points above bottom side Crystal Palace, the club made the bold decision to part ways last week.

Liverpool felt they could not afford to stagnate with clubs in the WSL growing ever-stronger and Whiteley got off to the perfect start with a 1-0 victory over Palace.

She admits it is now an “important period” for Liverpool as they approach a crossroads, uncertain on what the future will be.

“We have been a little bit stop-start up until now. It’s important for us to build some consistency and finish the season strongly,” said Whiteley.

“It’s important to give us a platform to work on. It’s also important for the fans. We want to produce football that they enjoy watching and want to get behind.

“I think we can do that in the next couple of months. There is lots to play for.”

Liverpool’s recruitment process is already under way as they look to appoint a permanent manager but Whiteley said she will “throw her name in the hat”.

She has climbed up the ranks at Liverpool and was previously the head coach of the under-21s, before her first interim spell in charge in 2021.

She expects to be in temporary charge again until the end of the season but could Whiteley follow in the footsteps of Sunday’s opponent Renee Slegers, who proved her worth in an interim spell at Arsenal before being offered the permanent job?

“It’s definitely a role I’m interested in and will put in for. But that recruitment process goes to one side and I have to focus on the day-to-day,” said Whiteley.

“From my interim period previously, the biggest thing I took away was that I was capable of doing the job.

“I am in a far better position having had the time with Matt [Beard] and working under him.

“When these opportunities come about, you have to stand up and show exactly what you are capable of. It’s really important to do that as a female coach too.”

Liverpool feel they are in safe hands with Whiteley.

She stabilised the club through a difficult period in the Championship during her first interim spell, helping the team to a third-place finish by winning five of her nine league games in charge.

She has developed massively as a coach since then and last month spent time with the Republic of Ireland alongside former WSL manager Carla Ward – a move supported by the club – having also been mentored by Beard over recent years.

Composed in the dugout and quietly confident, she strikes a contrasting profile to former manager Beard, who was animated and demanded intensity.

“I don’t think I could have been put with anyone more different to me. It’s made me be a lot more open-minded, that’s for sure,” said Whiteley.

“I have seen a completely different way of doing things which has been great. Matt is very tactically astute, very flexible in his approach.”

Whiteley’s approach, she described, will be “more measured” against Arsenal but she hopes to bring out Liverpool’s attacking threats going forward.

Asked what she could personally bring to the table during this period, Whiteley added: “I think I am a strong leader, very self-aware and very reflective.

“I probably listen more than what I speak – but when I do speak, I give it some real thought and consideration.

“I’m really good at bringing people together and empowering those I work with.”