Liverpool FC

The Reds were beaten at Brisbane Road in Barclays Women’s Super League action despite going ahead via Beata Olsson's first goal for the club.

Strikes from Toko Koga and Bethany England sealed a comeback victory for Spurs as they secured the spoils in the capital.

Match report: LFC Women beaten at Tottenham Hotspur in WSL

Read LFC Women head coach Taylor's post-match reaction below…

On Mia Enderby's injury after she was stretchered off following a fall in added time...

It's not nice to see. Obviously [she was] stretchered off and I've not had an opportunity to speak to the medical department. I think she has gone to hospital but hopefully she is OK. At one point I thought she was going to re-enter in terms of getting back up and start to play again but with those types of injuries it's really crucial we take care of them.

On the result and performance...

I thought we started the game OK. We scored a good goal. I don't think either team were playing at their best. We certainly could've exploited a bit more when we had those moments particularly at 1-0. But then we give away a really bad goal from a set play when Lily [Woodham] is off the pitch at that time which is frustrating.

We just need to be tougher in those moments to see it out. It was just a little bit naive particularly from that set play and then you give a team like Tottenham, who have got good options to come from the sidelines as well, an opportunity to get a foothold in the game.

On trying to keep the confidence high in the group with recent results...

It's really tough. We all need support at the club because we've had a lot that's obviously happened both on and off the pitch. On the pitch we're not getting the necessary results that we want. Of course, we don't expect to be top of the league, we're realistic and we know we're at the start of a really, really long project. But, of course, you want to see some positive moments and I think we've seen glimpses. It's just we're not able to sustain it for long enough in a game of 90 minutes.

On Beata Olsson scoring her first goal for the club...

I was pleased. We had her in training during the international break, which was great, so we did a lot of good work with her and saw a lot of progressions. When the team came back together on Friday after the break I really liked her performances and her attitude. Her endeavour has been first class. Hopefully that gives her confidence today.

On a struggle for options in his squad with recent injuries...

We didn't have anything from the sidelines today unfortunately. It's not ideal when you have to play a 21-year-old Hannah Silcock up on the right side. We just have to battle through it. The message is clear. We're working so hard as staff, players and everyone at the club to turn this into a better situation. But it takes a bit of time and a bit of support. Unfortunately, as we've seen at the moment, we're getting knocked a bit - but we'll keep fighting.

It was a competitive start between the two teams in the capital as Liverpool enjoyed the early play.

The Reds in particular were enjoying some freedom down both flanks and it was a darting forward run from Grace Fisk on the left which helped open the scoring.

Liverpool’s captain delivered low into the area in minute 11 and with Spurs failing to clear the ball fell to Beata Olsson, who fired an effort home on the turn to net her first goal for the club.

A little over a minute later Olsson again threatened as she worked goalkeeper Lize Kop down to her right with a driven shot.

However, it was Tottenham who struck next to level up the contest in what was developing into an even encounter.

A short corner routine proved Liverpool’s undoing with Olivia Holdt eventually lifting a ball across the six-yard box for Toko Koga to tap home.

Ahead of the half-time interval, Drew Spence twice went close, before forcing goalkeeper Faye Kirby into a strong save at her near post with a header.

In response, Olsson and Mia Enderby both worked Kop in the Spurs net, though neither team were able to add to the scoreline.

The game restarted after the interval in similar fashion to the first with much of the play coming in midfield.

Tottenham, though, produced a clever move to edge in front in the 52nd minute via Bethany England.

A ball over the top down the left found the run of Amanda Nilden and her first-time low ball allowed the striker to cushion a shot into the net.

Liverpool attempted a response almost instantly through Enderby but she was only able to drag her shot wide of the post after good play from Cornelia Kapocs and Ceri Holland.

The hosts applied pressure on the Reds in the closing stages, forcing Fisk into two well-timed challenges to keep them at bay.

In their search for a leveller, substitute Sofie Lundgaard saw a prodded effort blocked from close range after a clever run and cross from Holland on the right.

However, following a lengthy delay in added time due to an injury to Enderby, Kapocs went closest in Liverpool's quest for a point, though her effort flew over the bar from inside the area with Gareth Taylor’s side beaten.

Team

Liverpool: Kirby, Shimizu, Fisk, Evans, Woodham (Clark, 62), Nagano, Kerr (Lundgaard, 78), Kapocs, Holland (Maclean, 87), Olsson, Enderby (Silcock, 90+14).

Unused subs: Laws, Borggrafe, Szymczak.

Next up

The Reds return to action next Sunday (November 9) when they host Brighton & Hove Albion in a WSL meeting on Merseyside.

Kick-off is set for 12pm GMT at St Helens Stadium - and supporters can buy tickets here.

Goalkeeper Faye Kirby, Risa Shimizu, Lily Woodham and Beata Olsson all come in for Gareth Taylor’s team following the Reds’ last WSL outing against Manchester City.

Liverpool have also included goalkeeper Rachael Laws on the bench for the first time this season at Brisbane Road for the 12.15pm GMT kick-off.

Liverpool: Kirby, Shimizu, Fisk, Evans, Woodham, Nagano, Kerr, Kapocs, Holland, Olsson, Enderby.

Gareth Taylor's side are back after the international break and pick up the season with a Barclays Women's Super League clash against Spurs at Brisbane Road.

That is the venue where the Reds won 3-2 last season in dramatic fashion, with Kapocs opening her account for the club with a stunning lob from distance.

Find all the ticketing information for LFC Women's matches here

"That was a nice goal and a nice moment for me and it gave me a good feeling," the No.7 told Liverpoolfc.com at the AXA Training Centre. "So hopefully we can do well again on Sunday."

In terms of the 2025-26 campaign, Kapocs has been on the scoresheet twice thus far.

Both of her goals came at Anfield, where she produced a brilliant opener against Everton and then headed past Manchester City last time out in the WSL.

"It's just something special to play at Anfield and it was nice to score a couple of goals in front of our supporters," the 25-year-old said.

"As a player I like to get in the box and shoot for goal, so it was nice to see those go in at Anfield."

Liverpool entered the break on the back of a 2-1 victory away at Durham in the group stage of the Subway Women's League Cup.

Kapocs is hoping the confidence gained from that win can be taken into Sunday's affair as the Reds search for their first points in the top flight.

She said: "I think that was a really important win for us as a group. Everybody knows that we want to start winning and take points, so that's the main focus for us now in the WSL.

"It was important for us to get that winning feeling against Durham before the international break, and also before that against Manchester City I thought we played OK in that game.

"I think we are getting closer and closer and we have a good feeling. We need to keep working hard and try to get some points at Tottenham."

The Reds resume their campaign by travelling to Brisbane Road for a 12pm GMT kick-off on Sunday.

See 11 interesting facts and figures provided by Opta ahead of the game below...

Liverpool are unbeaten in their past two trips to Spurs, drawing 1-1 in 2023-24 and winning 3-2 last season.

Overall, the Reds are unbeaten in each of their last five WSL games against Tottenham (two wins, three draws), since a 1-0 away defeat in October 2022.

Tottenham lost each of their final five home matches in the division last season, but have won two out of three so far this term.

Ceri Holland assisted Cornelia Kapocs for Liverpool's goal against Manchester City on matchday six – it was her eighth in the WSL for the club overall. Only Alex Greenwood and Natasha Dowie have recorded more assists for the Reds in the competition (10 each).

Gareth Taylor's side have hit the woodwork three times this season - only Brighton & Hove Albion have done so more (four).

Spurs have the best big chance conversion rate in the WSL in 2025-26 with 50 per cent.

They have also recorded the highest figure for duels won per match: 50.5.

Only Manchester City's Khadija Shaw has attempted more shots than Tottenham's Cathinka Tandberg this season.

Liverpool defender Jenna Clark has tallied the third-highest average number of passes per 90 minutes in the WSL (77).

Clark is also joint-third for the average touches per 90 minutes on 90.

Spurs are one of just two sides to name the same starting centre-backs in each of their WSL games this season (also Aston Villa), with Clare Hunt and Toko Koga playing every minute of their league matches this term. No centre-back partnerships have earned more clean sheets than the duo in 2025-26 (three).

After the October international break, the Reds return to Barclays Women's Super League action against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Ahead of the 12pm GMT kick-off at Brisbane Road, Gareth Taylor put his squad through their paces at the AXA Melwood Training Centre.

See how their Friday workout happened in Inside Training below.

The Reds take on Tottenham in the Barclays Women's Super League at Brisbane Road on Sunday (12pm GMT kick-off).

On Friday afternoon, head coach Gareth Taylor previewed the match at the AXA Melwood Training Centre.

Watch his press conference in full above.

The Reds’ Barclays Women’s Super League season resumes at Brisbane Road on Sunday (12pm GMT kick-off) and head coach Gareth Taylor provided a squad fitness update during his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon.

Taylor said: “We don’t get a lot of time, I think most coaches will tell you that, when you come back after the international break. You effectively have one or two days to prepare so it’s been a tight turnaround, but I think the girls have come back looking good today.

“We’re still waiting on Leanne, she’s had an issue with her foot, bruising, and hopefully we can get her available tomorrow for training and then obviously travel with the squad because we’re a little bit light on numbers.

“Gemma Bonner will probably just come up a little bit short of the game and of course to go alongside the additional ones that you’re already aware of: Zara Shaw, Alejandra [Bernabe].

“Lucy Parry is getting a little bit closer and will possibly be back in training next week, which will help as well. So, outside of that, everyone from international duty has pretty much come back in good shape.”

See the latest LFC Women ticketing information here

Marie Höbinger and Sophie Roman Haug are long-term absentees after suffering ACL injuries before the international break.

Taylor added: “It does obviously limit us a little bit. Of course we can’t do anything until the transfer window opens again in January, but I think particularly the positions of those players – Sophie being a striker and Marie being an attacking midfielder – it’s not really an area of the pitch where we are stacked with players. So that’s really unfortunate.

“The good news is we’ve got the plans together for them in terms of when the surgery will be, which is going to be soon, and hopefully get them on the road to recovery.

“But yeah, really tough – I think having that type of injury happen at any time of the season is not great, but where it sits, obviously it happened in back-to-back games, has been tough to take as well.”

The Reds are back at the AXA Melwood Training Centre following the international break and their focus is on this weekend's trip to take on Spurs in the Barclays Women's Super League.

Our photographer will be with the squad throughout Friday to capture their pre-match build-up.

Take a look in the photo gallery below, which will be updated in real time.

Photos by Nick Taylor

When everyone goes away on international duty, your hope as a head coach is for the players to come back fit and healthy.

Of course, for some of the players it can be really intense and others can tend to go away on camp and not play as much, but I think they are worthwhile exercises.

Fingers crossed everyone comes back healthy because we have limited time before we go back into another busy period.

See the latest LFC Women ticketing information here

It was great to get the win before the international break in the Subway Women’s League Cup, on a testing surface at Durham. I felt the team did really well. We played some really good stuff and we controlled large parts, if not all, of the game.

We showed good quality and we certainly ramped it up in the last 20 minutes, which was pleasing to see. Certainly from a fitness point of view, our levels look improved now, so that’s something to be really pleased about.

We certainly looked capable of scoring goals that night and probably could have got more than the two we did.

Ceri Holland started it off for us with a really good first goal, a fantastic strike, and we want the players to take shots when we get those opportunities. It’s really important because you can see what happened when Ceri did that.

It was good for Ceri, good for her confidence, and the same for Sam [Kerr] as well who got our winner: a good pick-out from Mia [Enderby] and a nice finish from Sam that will give her confidence also.

On the injury front, obviously the downside of that game was picking up another ACL injury with Sophie Roman Haug.

It’s a big, big blow for us because you never want to lose a player to those circumstances and that’s after it also recently happened to Herby [Marie Höbinger].

We will support the players as much as we possibly can, get their surgery done and get them back on the road to recovery.

It is a blow to the squad, there is no doubt about that, but hopefully with Sofie Lundgaard coming back into the reckoning – because she has been away with her national team and played a bit more – will help in that area.

Leanne Kiernan is another one as well, and we are hoping she can be back with the group soon because we are a little bit light at the top end of the pitch with Sophie out now.

Another positive for us is Lily Woodham and Alejandra Bernabe have been training with the players here at the AXA Melwood Training Centre. So we’ve been able to do some really solid stuff with them alongside the likes of Kappy [Cornelia Kapocs] and Beata [Olsson].

We go to meet Tottenham at Leyton Orient’s Brisbane Road on Sunday and that is always a tough challenge.

It always feels like a tough game and they have made quite a good start to the season. They strengthened in the summer with some key signings that have been really helpful for the team.

We will go there, as always, trying to do our very best and get something from the game. A win would be fantastic and that’s certainly what we will be trying to do.

We have taken a lot of heart from our recent performances, and certainly in most of our displays so far I think there is something we can take.

Hopefully we can start to see some positive signs now and a little bit of reward for the girls in terms of picking up those necessary points we need.

Away from the pitch it’s been a tough time for everyone connected with Liverpool FC Women as we paid our respects to Matt [Beard] at his funeral and then got the sad news that our kit manager Jonathan Humble had passed away.

It’s a big blow for us losing Jon, and just the suddenness of it is really hard to deal with.

It has been so tough for everyone to accept and I think everyone is still trying to process it. All of our thoughts and our best wishes are with Claire and his three children.

Although we didn’t work with Jon for very long you could see he was a guy who raised standards here at the club massively.

He was great at asking us what we needed and we had good conversations with him. He really pushed the levels, which is what we are trying to do here, and he certainly played a big part in that during the short space of time he had with us. He was so highly regarded at his former club Manchester United too.

Our thoughts at this football club are with Claire and Jon’s family. It’s another huge blow but again we stand together, we always make sure we really unite during these difficult moments and of course we will make sure we always remember him.

Thank you for your continued support.

YNWA,

Gareth

Gareth Taylor was speaking to Liverpoolfc.com's Steve Hunter