WSL match report: Liverpool narrowly beaten by Arsenal at Anfield

Alessia Russo put the visiting side in front early on but Beata Olsson’s fine finish brought the Reds back on terms quickly.

A Russo header on the cusp of half-time restored the Gunners’ advantage, however, and they preserved it for the remainder.

Arsenal exerted pressure on Liverpool right from kick-off and threatened an opener for much of the first 10 minutes.

It almost came when Lisa Baum attacked the box and created a shooting angle; her hit took a deflection off Sam Kerr and clattered the crossbar.

They got the breakthrough with nine on the clock, though.

Emily Fox drove forward down the right-hand side and pulled a cross back to the centre of the area, where Russo was waiting to clinically side-foot home.

The Reds’ response was as swift as it was impressive.

They levelled on the quarter-hour as Natalia Ramos lifted a pass in behind that Olsson reached first having timed her run to remain onside.

She held off the attention of lone defender Leah Williamson and crisply guided an accurate finish into the bottom left corner from the very edge of the box.

Misa Rodriguez had to scurry and tip over a well-struck Ramos free-kick, and from the resulting corner Liverpool had the ball in the net again – but to no avail.

A scramble concluded with Jenna Clark converting yards out, only for a raised flag to call an offside against Vivien Endemann.

Caitlin Foord aimed narrowly wide of the left post from an Arsenal counter immediately after, before Khiara Keating pushed a Georgia Stanway blast into the side-netting.

As the interval neared, a brilliant Grace Fisk block inside the box prevented Olivia Smith from scoring and Taylor Hinds lashed the rebound wide.

But Arsenal did regain the lead on 45, with Russo meeting a Baum delivery from the right with a header down into the bottom of Keating’s net.

The Reds might have equalised straight from the restart, but Ramos could not make proper contact at the near post when Cornelia Kapocs hit the byline and crossed.

Gareth Taylor’s team subsequently had to produce a series of blocks to keep the Gunners at bay during a spell of pressure.

The Liverpool head coach turned to his bench just past the hour, introducing Alice Bergstrom and Mao Itamura to freshen the attack.

Only a superb interception from Clark prevented Russo a guaranteed tap-in from a Stanway pass slid in front of the Reds goal.

Kapocs managed just a glance on a header when picked out by Bergstrom’s floated diagonal, and the Swede had one more opportunity to level.

Two minutes from the end, the lively Itamura was sprung free in the area and clipped the ball to the centre; Kapocs volleyed first-time and sent it wide.

Team

Liverpool: Keating, Kerr, Fisk, Clark, Bernabe (Ward, 66), Maclean, Nagano, Ramos (Itamura, 62), Endemann (Bergstrom, 62), Kapocs, Olsson.

Unused subs: Kirby, Parry, Höbinger, Agrez, Shaw, Trueman.

Next up

The Reds host Aston Villa in the Subway Players Cup on Wednesday (November 11).

Kick-off is 7pm GMT at St Helens Stadium and tickets can be booked here.