Liverpool host Leicester City at St Helens Stadium in what could become one of the most important matches of the Women’s Super League season for both teams.
Only one point separates the sides heading into the fixture. Liverpool currently sit 11th with 10 points, while Leicester remain bottom with nine.
This season carries extra significance in the relegation battle. With the WSL expanding to 14 teams from the 2026–27 season, the promotion and relegation system has been adjusted. The bottom team in the WSL will face a promotion–relegation play-off against the third-placed side from WSL2, while the top two teams from the second tier will be promoted automatically.
That means finishing last could still leave a club fighting for its place in the league.
Goals hard to come by
One of the biggest problems for both teams this season has been scoring goals.
Liverpool have scored 15 goals in 16 league matches, while Leicester have managed just eight goals in 15 games, the lowest total in the WSL.
The Reds’ top scorer is Beata Olsson, who has five goals this season. However, the Swedish forward is only just returning from injury and has recently started to get minutes again after several weeks on the sidelines.
For Leicester, Shannon O’Brien leads the scoring chart with three goals, underlining the attacking struggles that have plagued the Foxes all season.
Leicester searching for momentum
Leicester arrive at St Helens Stadium in difficult form.
The Foxes have lost five of their last six matches, including heavy defeats to Manchester City and Manchester United. Defensively, they have struggled throughout the campaign and have conceded 31 goals, one of the highest totals in the league.
Another concerning trend is that Leicester often fall behind early in matches, forcing them to chase games.
Liverpool could miss Fuka Nagano
Liverpool may also be without one of their most influential midfielders.
Japanese international Fuka Nagano is currently away with the national team at an international tournament in Asia. Since joining Liverpool, Nagano has become an important player in the centre of the pitch, helping the team progress the ball and maintain possession.
Her absence could leave a noticeable gap in Liverpool’s midfield balance.
A fixture that rarely produces many goals
Recent meetings between Liverpool and Leicester have often been tight.
Earlier this season Leicester secured a 1–0 victory, while Liverpool recorded a commanding 4–0 win in May 2024.
Interestingly, matches between the two teams tend to be low-scoring. Four of the last six meetings have produced two goals or fewer, reflecting the attacking struggles both sides have faced.
What’s at stake
With only a handful of matches remaining in the season, the stakes could hardly be higher.
A Liverpool victory would move them four points clear of the bottom of the table, while Leicester desperately need a result to climb off last place.
For two teams battling near the bottom of the standings, Sunday’s clash at St Helens Stadium could prove decisive in shaping the final weeks of the Women’s Super League season.
