# 2020–21 Liverpool F.C. Women season

The 2020–21 Liverpool F.C. Women season was the club's 32nd season of competitive football and its first season outside the FA WSL, the highest level of the football pyramid, since the league's foundation. Along with competing in the FA Women's Championship, the club also contested two domestic cup competitions: the FA Cup and the League Cup.
Niamh Fahey was announced as captain on 17 August 2020, replacing Sophie Bradley-Auckland who took a leave of absence in order to focus on the running of her family's residential care home business amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Rachel Furness was named vice-captain.
Manager Vicky Jepson departed the club by mutual consent on 12 January 2021 with the club sat in 3rd place in the league. She had been in charge since October 2018 having first joined the club as a programme lead for the LFC Foundation in 2009. Assistant manager Amber Whiteley assumed the role on an interim basis.

## Squad

    As of 28 February 2021.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Rachael Laws |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Becky Jane |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Leighanne Robe |
| 4 | MF | WAL | Rhiannon Roberts |
| 5 | DF | IRL | Niamh Fahey (captain) |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Sophie Bradley-Auckland |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Jessica Clarke |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Jade Bailey |
| 9 | FW | DEN | Amalie Thestrup |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Rinsola Babajide |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Melissa Lawley |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Taylor Hinds |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 13 | GK | CAN | Rylee Foster |
| 14 | FW | ENG | Ashley Hodson |
| 15 | DF | NZL | Meikayla Moore |
| 18 | MF | WAL | Ceri Holland |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Amy Rodgers |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Missy Bo Kearns |
| 24 | FW | ENG | Kirsty Linnett |
| 27 | MF | NIR | Rachel Furness (vice-captain) |
| 30 | MF | ENG | Emily Brough |
| 32 | DF | ENG | Lucy Parry |
| — | GK | ENG | Eleanor Heeps |
| — | FW | ENG | Mia Ross |

## Pre-season

Liverpool scheduled five preseason games ahead of their debut FA Women's Championship campaign, putting particular focus on playing Coventry United away in order to acclimate themselves to the 3G surface that five Championship teams play on. All games were behind closed doors in order to fit with COVID-19 health restrictions.

## FA Women's Championship
### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 2 May 2021. Source: FA WSL

### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Leicester City (C, P) | 20 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 54 | 16 | +38 | 50 | Promotion to the WSL |
| 2 | Durham | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 34 | 15 | +19 | 42 | |
| 3 | Liverpool | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 37 | 15 | +22 | 39 | |
| 4 | Sheffield United | 20 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 37 | 15 | +22 | 38 | |
| 5 | Lewes | 20 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 22 | −3 | 28 | |
* ↑ Dependent on obtaining a licence.

## Women's FA Cup

As a member of the top two tiers, Liverpool will enter the FA Cup in the fourth round proper. Originally scheduled to take place on 31 January 2021, it was delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

## FA Women's League Cup

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | WPEN | LPEN | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | MCI | EVE | LIV | MNU |
| 1 | Manchester City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 7 | Advanced to knock-out stage | — | 3–1 | — | — |
| 2 | Everton | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | Possible knock-out stage based on ranking | — | — | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| 3 | Liverpool | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 3 | | 0–3 | — | — | 3–1 |
| 4 | Manchester United | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 2 | | 0–0 | — | — | — |

## Squad statistics
### Appearances

    As of 2 May 2021
Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Rachael Laws | 19 | 0 | 17+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Becky Jane | 16 | 3 | 12+2 | 3 | 0+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Leighanne Robe | 17 | 0 | 12+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | WAL | Rhiannon Roberts | 22 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | IRL | Niamh Fahey | 23 | 3 | 19 | 3 | 0+1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Sophie Bradley-Auckland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Jessica Clarke | 12 | 1 | 4+6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Jade Bailey | 15 | 1 | 11+1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | DEN | Amalie Thestrup | 21 | 4 | 12+5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Rinsola Babajide | 15 | 6 | 11+1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 1 |
| 11 | MF | ENG | Melissa Lawley | 23 | 3 | 14+5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | ENG | Taylor Hinds | 24 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | CAN | Rylee Foster | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | ENG | Ashley Hodson | 14 | 0 | 9+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | NZL | Meikayla Moore | 19 | 2 | 11+4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | WAL | Ceri Holland | 8 | 3 | 5+2 | 3 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Amy Rodgers | 16 | 3 | 10+4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | ENG | Missy Bo Kearns | 19 | 2 | 8+7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 |
| 24 | FW | ENG | Kirsty Linnett | 15 | 1 | 8+5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | NIR | Rachel Furness | 19 | 7 | 13+3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 2 |
| 30 | MF | ENG | Emily Brough | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | ENG | Lucy Parry | 8 | 0 | 2+3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| | GK | ENG | Eleanor Heeps | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | ENG | Mia Ross | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Position | Name | From |
| 7 July 2020 | GK | Rachael Laws | Reading |
| 16 July 2020 | DF | Taylor Hinds | Everton |
| 17 July 2020 | FW | Amalie Thestrup | Roma |
| 28 August 2020 | DF | Meikayla Moore | MSV Duisburg |
| 28 January 2021 | MF | Ceri Holland | Kansas Jayhawks |

### Transfers out

| Date | Position | Name | To |
| 23 May 2020 | FW | Courtney Sweetman-Kirk | Sheffield United |
| 29 May 2020 | GK | Anke Preuß | Vittsjö |
| 30 May 2020 | MF | Christie Murray | Birmingham City |
| 2 June 2020 | GK | Fran Kitching | Sheffield United |
| 19 June 2020 | FW | Niamh Charles | Chelsea |
| 2 July 2020 | DF | Jemma Purfield | Bristol City |