Ahead of Barclays Women’s Super League fixture release day on Friday 25 July, we’re taking a look at each of West Ham United women’s team’s opponents for 2025/26. Today we’re analysing… Liverpool.
2024/25 campaign
In 2024/25, Liverpool finished seventh in the Barclays Women’s Super League for the second time in the last three seasons - suffering a drop-off from their fourth-place, 41-point finish the campaign prior.
Pipped by Aston Villa for sixth place on goal difference, Liverpool endured a stop-start campaign. They had lift-off on 6 October in a dramatic 3-2 victory away at Tottenham Hotspur, with Marie Höbinger scoring a 95th-minute winner to earn the Reds their first league victory of the season.
But Matt Beard’s side failed to build on their maiden three points, winning just once in the WSL before the turn of the year, with a 4-0 victory against local rivals Everton in the Subway® Women’s League Cup keeping spirits high on the red half of Merseyside.
When 2025 came around, Liverpool upped the ante and recorded four wins from their first five matches of the new year across all competitions. But despite their bright restart, Beard was relieved of his duties in late February. The former Hammers boss won two WSL titles with the Reds during his first spell at the club before rejoining in 2021, when he took them back to the top flight.
Assistant Amber Whiteley took charge of Liverpool for the remainder of the campaign, guiding them to the semi-finals of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup courtesy of a shock victory away to Arsenal in March - a Daphne van Domselaar own-goal booking the Reds a last-four tie at Chelsea. But despite taking the lead in the tie through Olivia Smith at Kingsmeadow, Sonia Bompastor’s side struck back late and sealed a date at Wembley via a stoppage-time Aggie Beever-Jones goal.
Elsewhere, despite sweeping past Everton and Newcastle, Liverpool were knocked out of the Women’s League Cup at the group stage.
Transfer business so far
The biggest transfer news from Liverpool so far this summer came in the way of a departure, as young striker Smith joined Arsenal for a world-record fee.
The 20-year-old Canada international joined the Reds from Portuguese outfit Sporting CP last summer and went on to find the net on seven occasions in 20 appearances.
Liverpool also lost experienced defender Taylor Hinds to Arsenal, who returned to the Gunners on a free transfer, while Teagan Micah, Jasmine Matthews and Yana Daniels all departed following the expiration of their contracts.
Meanwhile, former captain Niamh Fahey announced her retirement at the end of last season, bringing an end to a seven-year stay on Merseyside which saw her win the Women's Championship title in 2022 and become the side’s fourth-highest appearance maker.
At the time of writing, Liverpool have signed three players. The first came in the form of Scotland international midfielder Kirsty Maclean, who made more than 100 appearances for Rangers, before the arrival of goalkeeper Rafaela Borggrafe, who departed SC Freiburg after ten years at the club.
Meanwhile, Sam Kerr, who was on loan at the Reds last term, has made her move from Bayern Munich permanent.
One to watch: Marie Therese Höbinger
After signing for Liverpool, Austria international Höbinger scored five goals and registered four assists in 2023/24 to help the Reds to an impressive fourth-place finish in the WSL.
Her move to Merseysdie came from FC Zürich Frauen, whom she represented in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Last term, Höbinger again chalked up nine goal contributions across all competitions, including a brace in Liverpool’s 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in October.
The 24-year-old midfielder penned a new contract with the Reds in January.
Played for both: Leanne Kiernan
Striker Leanne Kiernan joined West Ham United women’s team in the summer of 2018 and spent three seasons in east London.
From her 46 appearances in Claret and Blue, the Republic of Ireland international netted eight goals as the Hammers competed in their first seasons in the WSL.
After the expiration of her contract in the summer of 2021, Kiernan, 25, joined Liverpool, then in the WSL2. Kiernan shone as the Reds were promoted back to England’s top flight, scoring 13 goals in 22 league appearances.
Since 2021/22, Kiernan has scored nine goals in all competitions.
Memorable meeting: West Ham 4-2 Liverpool, 2019/20
West Ham United women’s team stormed to a 4-2 victory over Liverpool at Chigwell Construction Stadium in February 2020.
A brace apiece from Adriana Leon and Martha Thomas helped the Hammers fly to a four-goal advantage by the hour mark before a Rachel Furness brace proved to be only consolation goals for the visiting Reds.
