Guardian writers’ predicted position: 8th (NB: this is not necessarily Tom Garry’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)

Last season’s position: 11th

Prospects

After a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, there is renewed positivity at Liverpool. A strong summer transfer window, coupled with encouraging results in pre-season, suggests they will significantly improve on their 11th-place finish, continuing the good run they had in the second half of last season.

Gareth Taylor did not take charge until quite late last summer and the squad needed something of a rebuild. This time around, the former Manchester City head coach has been able to spend a full pre-season with his team. The managing director, Andy O’Boyle, has also had three transfer windows since starting his job to try to evolve the squad. The arrival of Germany forward Vivien Endemann, from Wolfsburg, is a very promising signing, while goalkeeper Khiara Keating has been reunited with Taylor, albeit she is not as experienced as Sweden’s Jennifer Falk. Falk was tremendous during a loan spell with Liverpool in the second half of last season, but opted not to make her stay permanent because she wanted to be closer to family.

There were other notable losses, including the centre-back Gemma Bonner. Nonetheless, Liverpool appear to have a squad that is more than capable of staying up although they still look a long way off challenging for Europe and their budget is dwarfed by the big spenders.

It took Liverpool until late January to record their first league win last season and this time around they will want to make an immediate impact. It should help that they begin away to promoted Charlton.

Off-field picture

The women’s team have never really benefited from the type of cash injections from their owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), that Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City’s women’s sides have from theirs. Liverpool have recorded an overall profit of more than £500,000 when the past eight seasons are combined and consistently break even. They also boast top-class facilities at their Melwood training base..

The manager

Taylor will want to see the team look more accustomed to his style of play. The 53-year-old has yet to win over the fanbase, but he does have a strong CV, winning the Women’s FA Cup and the League Cup with Manchester City in 2020 and 2022 respectively, and very nearly a league title, too. A former Wales international striker, Taylor represented a broad range of clubs, from Bristol Rovers to Nottingham Forest and Wrexham, with spells at Sheffield United and Manchester City in between.

Star signing

Liverpool were delighted that Endemann decided to make the switch from Wolfsburg. The 25-year-old had a good record in the Bundesliga, as well as 17 caps for Germany, whom she helped finish third at the 2024 Olympics. Endemann won a German Cup with Wolfsburg in 2024 and has Women’s Champions League experience, too.

Stat attack

Liverpool improved after a very slow start to the last campaign. They earned 11 points more in the second half of the season than in the first, the widest margin of improvement in the Women’s Super League. Doubling their tally from the second batch of 11 games would have given them 28 points, enough for sixth.

Set for a breakthrough

The 20-year-old Japan youth international Mao Itamura has been signed from Feyenoord. She was named as the Eredivisie player of the year last season and is a versatile forward with great dribbling skills. She should add a fresh and exciting dimension to Liverpool’s attack.

What they say

“We want to be in the first half of the table because we have really good players and I think we can show what we are capable of. I believe in every single person in this team. We have good chances to have a great season. And we all have this good feeling; I can feel it in the training” – Liverpool and Switzerland forward Aurélie Csillag

Where are they playing their home games?

Liverpool play the vast majority of their home matches at St Helens Stadium, which they share with the rugby league side. It has a modern feel and a capacity of about 18,000. They have announced they will be playing three times at Anfield this season; the first of those games being a derby against Everton in September.