Manchester City maintained their perfect start to the Women’s Super League (WSL) season with a narrow 4-2 victory over Liverpool at the Academy Stadium on Monday evening. The defending champions secured the win thanks to a last-gasp own goal from Liverpool defender Grace Fisk, followed by a late counterattack goal by Lauren Hemp, who also scored twice earlier in the match.

The game was tightly contested, with Liverpool putting in a strong performance under manager Gareth Taylor, who returned to face his former club. Liverpool took the lead before halftime, overturning an early City advantage, but City’s resilience and tactical discipline ultimately saw them claim all three points.

City opened the scoring early when Lauren Hemp capitalized on a precise pass from Carlotta Wamser, slotting the ball into the bottom corner. This marked Hemp’s first WSL goal since November and her first club goal since February. Shortly afterward, the stadium observed a poignant moment of respect as the crowd rose to remember former Liverpool manager Matt Beard, who passed away a year ago. Beard had led Liverpool to consecutive WSL titles in 2013 and 2014.

Liverpool responded strongly, capitalizing on defensive errors to take a 2-1 lead before the 30-minute mark. A miscommunication between City players allowed Vivien Endemann to assist Alice Bergström for an equalizer, followed soon after by Endemann scoring herself, with the ball deflecting past City goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita.

The home side pressed for an equalizer, which came shortly before halftime through Khadija Shaw. Shaw took advantage of a goalkeeping error by Liverpool’s Khiara Keating, who was playing against her former club for the first time since her summer transfer. Keating made a number of crucial saves in the second half, including a near-certain goal denial from Shaw.

Liverpool had further chances but were eventually undone deep in stoppage time. Grace Clinton’s cross caused confusion in Liverpool’s defense, resulting in an own goal by Fisk that put City ahead 3-2. With Liverpool pushing players forward in search of an equalizer, Hemp seized the opportunity on the break to score her second, securing a 4-2 victory for City.

Manager Andrée Jeglertz praised his team’s mental strength after the match, highlighting their never-say-die attitude. “I’m very pleased with the mentality of the group,” Jeglertz said. “They never stop believing, they keep on going and—in the end—we are winners.”

Liverpool’s Taylor also expressed optimism, commending his side’s improvement. “Playing that way, we believe we’ll win a lot of games this season,” he said, referring to progress since the end of last season.

With this result, Manchester City remain unbeaten and top of the WSL table, continuing their strong home record since Jeglertz took over in mid-2025. Liverpool, despite the loss, demonstrated considerable growth and resilience, suggesting a competitive campaign ahead.