Captain Fisk strikes as Liverpool move off bottom

Liverpool climbed off the foot of the Women’s Super League table with a commanding 4-1 victory over Aston Villa at Prenton Park, sealed by late goals from captain Grace Fisk and substitute Aurelie Csillag.

Gareth Taylor’s side roared into a two-goal lead inside the opening quarter-hour. Ceri Holland was the architect, first sliding a precise ball across the six-yard box for Mia Enderby to finish past Sabrina D’Angelo, then repeating the trick for January loanee Martha Thomas to prod home her second league strike of the campaign.

Villa, whose defensive frailties have become a recurring theme, rallied before the interval when former Red Miri Taylor met Kirsty Hanson’s cross on the edge of the area and lashed past Jennifer Falk.

The visitors suffered an early second-half setback when D’Angelo collided with Liverpool defender Alejandra Bernabe and was replaced by Ellie Roebuck. The change failed to stem the tide.

With 15 minutes remaining, Fisk settled nerves by volleying in from a half-cleared corner, and Csillag added gloss in stoppage time, racing clear to slot past Roebuck and complete Villa’s third consecutive league defeat.

The result lifts Liverpool one place to 11th, leapfrogging Leicester, who have a game in hand. Liverpool have now scored nine goals in their last five WSL outings, with Holland registering three assists this term.

Statistically, the hosts dominated where it mattered: five shots on target, four big chances and 10 efforts from inside the box compared to Villa’s three on target and six in the area. Despite Villa edging possession (448 passes to 408), they failed to craft a single big chance and have now conceded 29 goals—second only to West Ham’s 34.

The rematch was a stark contrast to Villa’s 3-0 win over Liverpool two months ago, their last clean sheet. Natalia Arroyo’s side must regroup quickly; they travel to Tottenham on 15 February, the same day Liverpool visit reigning champions Chelsea.