Potter: She can be one of the best in this league
Manager Jo Potter heaped praise on our new No.7 after her goal helped Palace Women return to the WSL with a 1-0 over Everton.
You can watch her full post-match interview on Palace TV, just click above!
Summer signing Lexi Lloyd-Smith proved to be the difference maker in South London, as her 34th minute goal sealed a 1-0 opening day win over the Toffees.
Potter wasn't surprised that Lloyd-Smith had such an impact on her debut.
She said: "I'm not surprised, I see it daily. She's got so much potential, we don't know where her ceiling is right now and she shows up and she keeps showing up.
"I think she can go and be one of the best in this league. She's got to do it consistently, but she knows that and she's got the drive and the want to be able to do that.
"She's proved it all the way throughout pre-season and last season at Bristol, hence why we brought her in."
The Palace boss also shared her thoughts on the result - emphasising how proud she was of her new-look team.
"It's what we could have wished for. Three points at home, first game of the season and a clean sheet. We're really proud of this moment.
"I think it's important that we try to get off to a good start and show that we're meant to be here and that we want to be here in this league.
"We are obviously far from done, we are not getting too carried away on the first game of the season, but it's a big three points for us to start off with," Potter said.
Palace largely dominated in South London, with Everton having their strongest spell in the closing stages of the game.
Potter was full of praise for her team's mentality in those closing stages.
She said: "I was proud of our ability to be able to stick out a 1-0 at the end when there's eight minutes added on and you're under the cosh.
"They knew what the assignment was towards the end of the game - it was keep a clean sheet, it was defend, it was battle, it was to put bodies on the line.
"It was to make good decisions at the right time, and the players did that."
With this 1-0 victory, Potter joined an exclusive club of former WSL players to have now managed in the league.
She was asked how it felt to manage in the league she once played in, and how it felt to win that first game.
Potter said: "I hate this question! It's great - I say this all the time. I don't really think about myself in these moments.
"I'm just super happy for the wider staff and the team and the players because that's my focus.
"So I don't really take much time to think about myself in these, but it is a proud moment.
"It's coming into a league which is super strong, one of the best in the world, if not the best league in the world, up against some world class players.
"To be able to do that week in, week out is big and today was a very proud moment for me."
Finally, she previewed our away trip to the Emirates Stadium next Sunday and what the mentality will be for that game.
Potter said: "It's gonna be a tough game at Arsenal, but what a ground to go to and what an occasion to be able to showcase.
"We've gotta try and build on this and on this momentum, but as I say, not get too high.
"We've got three points, but it's a long old season and we've gotta make sure that we're switching on our focus to Arsenal 'cause it's gonna be a different challenge and a different threat.
"We have gotta try and be us and stick to our processes and stick to our focus and try and get that same desire to get three points every single week."
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