Willie Kirk’s Everton will aim for another step towards a long-term shift in playing style when they visit Reading on Sunday.

Manager Kirk is keen for Everton’s Women’s Super League form to return to the consistently positive trajectory it plotted in the season’s opening months.

Everton have claimed four points from their past five matches – although Kirk’s side has run into the powerhouse trio of Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United in that period.

The Scot's team are fifth in the WSL standings and would close within two points of Arsenal in fourth by winning their game in hand.

That promising position owes a lot to Everton's lightning start.

Kirk, however, felt his players were performing on instinct during four successive wins back in September and October and is overseeing a change aimed at controlling matches.

“Our playing style is in transition… at the start of the season it was like watching basketball, at times, our games were exciting, attacking one end, then defending at the other,” said Kirk, who is missing only defender Poppy Pattinson this weekend, with Gabby George poised to be included in a second straight matchday squad after overcoming her serious knee injury.

“Very rarely did a team get control in those games but we had more quality and came out on top.

“That was great to watch but we knew we needed to start controlling games.

“In our past two matches we’ve had 60 and 70-per-cent possession and not scored [from open play].

“Controlling games is the only way you achieve long-term success, you can’t have it by being a counter-attacking team.

“Our build-up play is better and more considered but our final-third play must improve.

“There are more opponents between us and the goal when we reach the final third, so it is something we are working on.

“We have exciting players in attack – it just needs one or two little things to coming off for them and it will start clicking soon.”

Everton's 1-1 draw with Birmingham City seven days ago was broadly viewed as a surprising outcome.

If Kirk’s side were favourites to prevail against the Midlands team, however, then what of results elsewhere?

United, second in the WSL, were stunned at home by Reading.

And in the biggest shock of all, champions Chelsea lost their 33-match unbeaten run, going down 2-1 to unfancied Brighton & Hove Albion.

It was a trio of results, in Kirk’s opinion, to underscore climbing standards in the English game.

On that note, Everton’s chances of remaining among the elite pack were boosted this week when the exceptional Izzy Christiansen, a WSL winner with Manchester City in 2016, signed fresh terms keeping her at the Club until at least the end of 2022/23.

“If we are achieve the success we want, Izzy will probably be at the forefront of that in terms of the standards she brings every day,” said Kirk.

“Izzy knows what is required for success and it is important we have people at the Club who have won things and know how to do it.

“It is important we retain our best players and continue to build and not just add to the starting XI but add to the squad.

“If ever there was a reminder of how tough this league is, it was last week’s results.

“We want that competition and it is what will make this league the best in the world in the very near future.

“Any team not as it – [Chelsea manager] Emma Hayes admitted it – can lose a game."

Everton are separated from this weekend’s opponents Reading only by goal difference, albeit Kirk’s side have two games in hand.

The teams drew the reverse fixture 1-1 and Kirk, who wants to reduce that gap to the top four, is expecting another tight contest.

“It is a bigger gap than I’d have liked and we’ve dropped points that have been frustrating,” added Kirk.

“There are 30 points to play for and the incentive is to accumulate as many as possible and see where that leaves us.

"Reading have an experienced squad, full of quality

“They are a good team and we are very aware of what they bring.”