Chelsea Women v Liverpool WSL preview, right back to domestic play

Currently, the west London side is seven points off the pace setters Manchester United at the top of the table with three games in hand. United’s last gasp triumph over Aston Villa on the road may have saved any hope that the club still had of winning the English top-flight for the first time in club history. Hayes’ team cannot afford any hiccups going forward, but in their first match back in the WSL since April 2 they meet up with a team that has been a thorn in their side all campaign long.

In addition to the loss at Preston Park to begin the league season, the Reds battled with the west London outfit to the final whistle in the FA Cup fourth round at the end of January at Kingsmeadow. Chelsea needed a Sam Kerr hattrick to survive by just one goal to advance into the fifth round of the FA Cup. Despite being down by two goals on the road in the FA Cup, Beard’s team outscored the home side in the final 30 minutes of the match. Kerr and Guro Reiten have combined for four out of the last seven goals in domestic competitions with the two of them scoring the last three.

In their first campaign back in the WSL, Matt Beard’s side is battling east London’s own West Ham United for for seventh in the table. Beard’s Liverpool was unbeaten in their previous four WSL matches heading into the weekend of April 29. For just the second time this season in all competitions, the Reds allowed four or more goals en route to a stunning defeat at the hands of Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. Beard’s team have now won just two league matches out of the last seven with four remaining. Not one of the Reds’ eight shots on target found the back of the net on Saturday afternoon.