Liverpool W vs West Ham W: Crucial Relegation Battle in FA WSL

St Helens hosts a relegation six-pointer in the FA WSL on 26 April 2026 as Liverpool W welcome West Ham W to St Helens Stadium. With the regular season entering its final stretch, the stakes are clear: survival and positioning in the bottom half. Liverpool sit 10th with 17 points, four clear of 11th-placed West Ham on 13. Both are above the automatic drop for now, but defeat here would drag either side right back into danger.

Context and stakes

In the league across all phases, Liverpool have taken 17 points from 19 matches (4 wins, 5 draws, 10 defeats) with a goal difference of -9 (20 scored, 29 conceded). West Ham trail with 13 points from the same number of games (3 wins, 4 draws, 12 defeats), and a far worse goal difference of -25 (16 scored, 41 conceded). This fixture, part of the Regular Season – 20 round, is effectively a four‑pointer: a Liverpool win would open a seven‑point cushion over the Hammers; a West Ham victory would cut the gap to a single point and swing momentum in the survival battle.

Liverpool’s home record gives them a narrow edge. They have 3 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats from 9 home outings, scoring 12 and conceding 11. West Ham, by contrast, have been deeply fragile away: 1 win, 0 draws and 8 defeats from 9 away games, with only 4 goals scored and 21 conceded. On paper, Matt Beard’s side have the platform; the question is whether they can turn marginal improvements into a decisive performance.

Form and tactical trends

Across all phases this season, Liverpool’s form line reads “LLLLLLDDLLDDWLWLWDW” – a chaotic mix that reveals long losing streaks but also a recent ability to dig out results. The current league form listed as “WDWLW” suggests a late-season uptick: three wins, a draw and a loss in their last five league games. They have tightened up at home, with only 11 goals conceded in 9 matches and 3 clean sheets.

Liverpool’s statistical profile points towards a compact, structured side. They average 1.1 goals for and 1.5 against per league game across all phases, with a relatively balanced home split (1.3 scored, 1.2 conceded). Their most used system is 4‑1‑4‑1 (7 matches), with 4‑2‑3‑1 also appearing regularly. That single pivot in front of the back four is crucial: it allows the wide midfielders to press high while maintaining a screen against counters. The “failed to score” count (7 matches overall, 2 at home) underlines that creativity can still stall, but when they click, they have produced a 4‑1 home win and a 2‑3 away victory as their biggest league wins.

West Ham’s form string – “LLLLLLLDWLDLWLWLDLD” – tells a stark story. They have endured long losing runs and have never built more than a one‑game winning streak. In the league, their recent form is “DLDLW”, which hints at minor resilience but no sustained surge. Defensively, they are the division’s soft underbelly: 41 goals conceded in 19 games (2.2 per match), and a staggering 21 shipped in 9 away fixtures (2.3 per match). They have kept just one clean sheet all season and none away.

Tactically, West Ham have leaned heavily on a 3‑4‑3 (8 matches), occasionally switching to 4‑2‑3‑1 or 3‑4‑1‑2. The back three has not translated into solidity; instead, it has often left them exposed in wide areas, particularly when wing-backs are caught high. Their away “failed to score” count (6 of 9 matches) underlines how often they are second best at both ends.

Discipline could be a sub-plot. Liverpool’s yellow cards spike between minutes 61–75 and deep into added time (91–105), suggesting late pressure phases where they scramble to protect leads or chase games. West Ham, meanwhile, pick up almost half of their yellows between minutes 76–90, a sign of tired legs and desperate defending. Both sides have seen red this season, so game management will be key in a high‑pressure context.

Key players and attacking focal points

For Liverpool, Beata Olsson and Mia Enderby headline the attacking threat. Olsson, with 4 league goals and 1 assist in 13 appearances, has produced an impressive 7.11 average rating. She has scored those 4 goals from just 7 shots (4 on target), indicating sharp finishing when chances arrive. Used primarily as an attacker, her movement between the lines and ability to link play could be central against a back three that often leaves gaps in the channels.

Enderby offers a different profile from midfield. With 3 goals and 2 assists in 19 appearances and an average rating of 6.93, she combines end product with work rate. Her 79% passing accuracy and 9 successful dribbles from 17 attempts show a player comfortable carrying the ball through pressure. She also draws fouls frequently (14), which could be significant against a West Ham side that accumulates late bookings.

Liverpool’s penalty record is spotless this season (2 scored from 2, no misses), but none of the listed key players has taken one in the league, so there is no individual spot‑kick specialist to highlight.

For West Ham, Shekiera Aisha Martinez is the clear talisman. She has 5 league goals in 18 appearances, making her the Hammers’ leading scorer. Martinez has taken 18 shots with 11 on target, and her 6.85 rating is solid in a struggling side. She also contributes defensively (14 tackles, 2 blocks, 3 interceptions), which fits with a 3‑4‑3 where the central forward often presses from the front and drops to help the midfield. If West Ham are to nick something on the break, Martinez’s ability to run in behind and finish efficiently will be crucial.

West Ham’s penalty record is also perfect this season (1 scored, 0 missed), but again, Martinez has neither scored nor missed from the spot in the league, so any penalty narrative has to stay team‑level.

Head-to-head: Liverpool edge the recent battles

The last five competitive meetings (league and FA Women’s Cup, excluding friendlies) show a clear Liverpool advantage:

West Ham W 2–2 Liverpool W (FA WSL, December 2025)
Liverpool W 1–0 West Ham W (FA WSL, February 2025)
West Ham W 0–5 Liverpool W (FA Women’s Cup, 4th Round, January 2025)
West Ham W 1–1 Liverpool W (FA WSL, September 2024)
Liverpool W 3–1 West Ham W (FA WSL, March 2024)

Over these five matches, Liverpool have 3 wins, West Ham have 0, and there have been 2 draws. Liverpool have scored 12 goals to West Ham’s 5, including that emphatic 5–0 cup win away in January 2025. Importantly, Liverpool have won both of the last two meetings at home (1–0 and 3–1), underlining the psychological edge at St Helens.

The most recent clash in Essex in December 2025 finished 2–2, suggesting West Ham can trouble Liverpool when they get their attacking patterns right, but the broader pattern is one of Liverpool superiority in both results and margins.

Tactical battle on the day

Expect Liverpool to stick with a back four and a single pivot, using width and late runs from midfield to stretch West Ham’s back three. The hosts’ relatively strong home defensive numbers suggest they will be comfortable having more of the ball, pushing full‑backs on and trusting the holding midfielder to break up counters.

West Ham are likely to retain their 3‑4‑3, with wing‑backs asked to both contain Liverpool’s wide players and provide the team’s main outlet on transitions. Given their poor away scoring record (0.4 goals per game) and high concession rate, they may sit deeper than usual, compressing space centrally and hoping Martinez can capitalise on rare opportunities.

Set pieces could be decisive. Liverpool’s tight home goals‑against column and three home clean sheets suggest they are relatively organised in dead‑ball situations. West Ham, having conceded heavily away, will need to avoid cheap fouls around the box, especially given their tendency to collect late yellow cards.

The verdict

Data and recent history both tilt this fixture towards Liverpool. They are higher in the league, stronger at home, and dominant in the recent head‑to‑head, while West Ham are the league’s leakiest defence and one of its weakest away attacks.

Given Liverpool’s improving league form (“WDWLW”), their balanced home record, and West Ham’s 8 defeats in 9 away games with 21 conceded, the logical expectation is a home win, most likely in a game where Liverpool score at least twice and West Ham struggle to create sustained pressure. West Ham’s best hope lies in a low‑scoring contest and a clinical moment from Martinez on the break, but all indicators point to Liverpool taking a vital step towards safety in front of their own fans.