Spurs remain in top four after narrow victory over Liverpool

Tottenham Hotspur Women remain in the top four of the Barclays Women’s Super League with a narrow 2-1 win over Liverpool FC Women at Brisbane Road. 

Forward Beata Olsson struck first for the visitors, with Spurs defender Tõko Koga equalising soon after with her debut goal. Captain, Bethany England added a second for the Lilywhites in the second half, adding a touch of class to what is already shaping to be a promising season for the club. 

Ahead off kick off, a minutes silence was observed following the Last Post, alongside the presentation of wreaths to commemorate Remembrance Sunday. Both sides wore poppies on their home strips to pay their respects to those who lost their lives during the war.

Pre-match

The Lilywhites went into the game with a solid start to the season: three wins, one loss, and a draw as they sought to extend that winning streak against the Reds.  

Spurs lost against Liverpool last time out at Brisbane Road, with Marie Höbinger scoring a penalty in stoppage time. The team were looking to bounce back after a one-nil defeat to Chelsea, which left the team in fourth position with twelve points. 

Liverpool were looking to improve on their mixed run of results across all competitions, with the most recent one being a 2-1 loss to Manchester City. The arrival of new manager Gareth Taylor has improved the club’s fortunes a little but has left the team second-to-bottom in the league, conceding ten goals with no wins on board. 

Their injury crisis has greatly impacted the team, with attackers, Sophie Roman Haug and Höbinger out for the season with ACL ruptures. The recent injury to Mia Enderby further hinders Liverpool’s chances of avoiding relegation, with the forward expected to be sidelined for an extended period.

Liverpool lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, featuring Risa Shimizu, Gemma Evans, Lily Woodham and Grace Fisk in defence, with Fisk earning her first England recall this week. 

Spurs were solid at the back, while Koga, Amanda Nildèn and Olivia Holdt anchored the midfield, with the Danish midfielder standing out as one of the club’s top performers this season.

In head-to-head meetings, both sides have drawn three times in all competitions, with Spurs winning three.

First half

Spurs started the half well, but with a string of missed chances, Liverpool’s defence remaining compact and organised at the back. Spurs’ Holdt was active in attack, causing problems for Liverpool with a few promising opportunities.

Olsson gave Liverpool the lead following a well-delivered free kick, chipping the ball into the centre of the goal from close range. The Lilywhites responded quickly to Liverpool’s attack, with keeper Lize Kop making a strong save to deny the Reds any further. 

Young defender Koga equalised for the club just eight minutes after Olsson’s opener, with a right-footed finish from a corner delivered by teammate Matilda Vinberg. Both Olsson and Koga scored their first goals in the WSL in this weekend, marking a memorable moment for the debutants.

Spurs looked more threatening in attack but struggled to break Liverpool’s defensive structure, with the Reds rarely tested in the final third. 

Liverpool’s goalkeeper, Faye Kirby was called into action during this half, saving an open-goal opportunity, while midfielder Drew Spence’s long ball attempt was easily dealt with. Spurs had more chances in added time but could not find a winner despite a brighter attacking display. 

However, both sides needed more clinical finishing and greater intensity to convert chances, although Spurs attempted more overall shots on target in the first half than the Reds. 

Second half

Liverpool struggled to find their rhythm in the second half, missing several early opportunities. The deadlock was broken in the 52nd minute when Holdt delivered a lovely cross from a corner that England slotted in.

England’s right-footed strike from the centre of the box found the top-left corner, with the assist coming from Amanda Nildén. Her strike marked the forward’s 50th home goal in the WSL, the first to do so across the board.

Liverpool tried to fight back, pushing play out wide and pressing for an equaliser, but Spurs remained determined to hold on to their lead. 

Spurs created a few promising chances, including an open-goal opportunity, but overall, the half felt underwhelming in terms of quality and finishing. Liverpool were resilient in defence, with Kop effectively clearing long balls and denying further threats.

Late in the half, substitutes Sofie Lungaard and Ashleigh Neville made an impact, creating some attacking momentum, but the focus shifted following a serious injury. Enderby had to be stretchered off after landing awkwardly on her neck during an aerial challenge and was taken to the hospital. This added over twelve minutes of extra time, played out with unease from both sides.

Overall, it was a half marked by missed opportunities, defensive resilience, and an unfortunate injury that overshadowed the closing stages.

Post match

Tottenham defender, Clare Hunt shared on her thoughts on the match after her centre back pairing with Koga has proved key to Spurs’ success so far this season:

“Really, really good. I haven’t been in there just yet, but everyone’s quite happy for another three points, so we just have to continue on these results, and hopefully we get some more points against London City next week.

I think today we were clinical in patches and then other times not, but we’ve got to give credit to the forward line for getting the job done today. So, we just need to work on what we’ve got, and we’re pleased with the three points.”

However, the Australian international did not shy away from the fact Spurs can perform better. They will address their defensive setup ahead of next weekend’s clash against London City Lionesses:

“I think we can be more defensive, so that’s another thing we can work on and be more aggressive in our defensive shape.”

Tottenham head coach Martin Ho also spoke on what was missing in the match, which he aims to improve for the next fixture:

“Probably what was missing was the final action—whether it was the final pass or the final shot. There were moments where we were a bit hesitant and didn’t execute what we wanted, maybe a little indecisive. But on another day, that ball might have fallen differently, and we could have had four shots in the game. Still, we got three points, came from behind, and showed a different side of ourselves. Overall, I’m happy we got the job done.”

Nevertheless, Tottenham Hotspur remain in the top four with a start that has already seen more wins than the club secured throughout the entire 2024/25 WSL season. Ho consequently addressed the positives from this fixture:

“We can take a lot from this, especially the mentality, intensity, and pressure. Defensively, we could have pressed higher up the pitch; while we had the ball in advanced positions, we made some mistakes. We’ll take these lessons into the next game and hopefully score the goals we need moving forward.”

Liverpool manager, Gareth Taylor spoke about his influence on Liverpool and the club’s future after a challenging start:

“We’ve worked hard on defining how we want to play and on building our team culture, shaping the environment in the right way. A lot of effort has gone into that. We also focus on individual development, creating tailored plans for each player. It’s about consistency: keeping the same messages, working hard on the training pitch, reviewing our progress, and staying positive.”

Spurs stay fourth in the table while Liverpool remain eleventh. The Lilywhites travel to Bromley to play London City Lionesses next Sunday, while Liverpool host Brighton on the same day at noon.