Football can be cruel. Just when you think a mid-table side has found its footing or a title contender might be showing signs of fatigue, the script gets shredded. That’s basically what happened when Liverpool F.C. Women vs Chelsea F.C. Women met recently in the League Cup. Most people expected Chelsea to win, sure. They’re the juggernauts. But 9-1? Honestly, it felt like watching a different sport by the time the seventh or eighth goal went in.
It wasn’t just a loss for Liverpool; it was a total dismantling at St Helens Stadium. The gap between the elite and the rest of the WSL was laid bare in a way that’s actually kinda hard to talk about without feeling a bit for the home fans.
That 9-1 Scoreline: What Actually Happened?
If you missed the match on December 21, 2025, you might think that scoreline is a typo. It isn't. Chelsea, under Sonia Bompastor, turned up and decided to be as clinical as humanly possible. They had 18 shots and scored nine times. That’s a 50% conversion rate, which is just absurd at this level.
Sam Kerr started the carnage. She looks back to her terrifying best, bagging two goals inside the first 20 minutes. It’s like she never left. Then you had Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, who basically decided the second half was her personal playground, completing a "perfect" hat-trick.
Liverpool’s manager, Gareth Taylor—who has been under some serious heat lately—called the performance "naive." That’s a polite way of putting it. The Reds were gifting goals like it was a holiday tradition. Jenna Clark managed to pull one back to make it 5-1 at one point, and for about thirty seconds, you thought maybe they’d save some face. Nope. Chelsea just went down the other end and scored again.
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The Tactical Nightmare
Tactically, Liverpool tried to play out from the back, but Chelsea’s press was like a vice. Fuka Nagano and Ceri Holland were constantly swamped in midfield. On the other side, Guro Reiten was the quiet architect of the whole thing. She didn't even take a shot, but she walked away with three assists before being subbed. She was basically the puppet master for Kerr and Wieke Kaptein.
Why the Gap Is Growing
There’s a lot of talk in the pubs and on Reddit about why Liverpool F.C. Women vs Chelsea F.C. Women has become such a lopsided fixture. Historically, Liverpool actually used to be the dominant force—back in 2013 and 2014 when they won the league. But those days feel like ancient history now.
Chelsea has spent. They’ve invested in depth that most teams can’t dream of. Bompastor made eight changes to her starting lineup for that League Cup game compared to their Champions League win over Wolfsburg just days prior. When your "second string" includes players like Millie Bright and Sjoeke Nüsken, you’re playing a different game than everyone else.
- Financial Disparity: Chelsea's backing from the top down is massive.
- Recruitment: They bring in youngsters like 19-year-old Lexi Potter and they look like seasoned pros.
- Mentality: They didn't stop at 5-0. They kept pushing.
Liverpool fans are understandably frustrated. Some are pointing the finger at the owners, FSG, suggesting the women's team is "walking alone" when it comes to the level of investment needed to compete with the "Big Four." They moved to a new training ground at Melwood, which was supposed to be a turning point, but the results on the pitch in 2025 have been dismal.
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Historical Context of the Rivalry
It hasn't always been a blowout. Just a month before the 9-1 thumping, these two played out a 1-1 draw in the WSL. That’s the weird part about football. One week you’re holding the champions to a stalemate, and the next you’re conceding nine. In May 2024, Liverpool actually beat Chelsea 4-3 in a thriller that almost cost Chelsea the title. That version of Liverpool seems to have vanished.
Key Players Who Defined the Recent Clash
If we’re looking at who really stood out, you have to talk about Johanna Rytting Kaneryd. She’s currently the most dangerous player in England. With six goals and four assists already this season, she’s doing the heavy lifting while others find their rhythm.
For Liverpool, it’s a tougher list to write. Jenna Clark tried her best to hold a crumbling defense together, and Beata Olsson has shown flashes of being a real threat up top, but they’re often isolated. The service from the wings just isn't there right now.
- Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea): Hat-trick hero and the engine of the attack.
- Sam Kerr (Chelsea): Proving she’s still the best finisher in the game.
- Guro Reiten (Chelsea): The unselfish playmaker who makes everyone else look better.
- Jenna Clark (Liverpool): Scored the lone goal and was the only real resistance in a poor defensive display.
What This Means for the Rest of the Season
So, where do they go from here? Chelsea is on track for another domestic treble. They’ve already set up a semi-final against Manchester City in the League Cup, and they look unstoppable in the Champions League.
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Liverpool, however, is staring down a relegation scrap if they don’t fix their defensive errors. Losing 9-1 isn't just about the points; it’s about the psychological damage. You could see it in the players' body language—they looked defeated long before the final whistle. Gareth Taylor has to find a way to shore up that backline, or more "humiliations" are on the cards.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you're following these teams, here is what you need to keep an eye on over the next few months:
- Watch the Injury Reports: Chelsea’s Aggie Beever-Jones went off with an ankle injury in the last game. If she's out for a while, it might thin their rotation.
- Liverpool’s January Window: They desperately need a defensive midfielder who can protect the back four. Keep an eye on any transfer rumors linking them to physical, veteran players.
- The Reverse WSL Fixture: Mark your calendars for the next league meeting. Liverpool will be playing for pride, and these games are often much tighter than cup matches where rotation plays a big role.
The Liverpool F.C. Women vs Chelsea F.C. Women match served as a massive wake-up call for the Reds. It showed that while the brand of Liverpool is global, the reality of their women's team currently sits far below the elite standard set by the Blues. Whether they can close that gap in the next year is the biggest question facing the club right now.
To stay updated on the next match, check the official WSL schedule or the Liverpool FC results page for 2025-26.