Guardian writers’ predicted position: 8th (NB: this is not necessarily Tom Garry’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips) 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. 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.. 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. Liverpool were delighted that Endemann decided to make the switch from Wolfsburg.
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