The Women's Super League returns after just over a month's break on Friday when Liverpool host Brighton & Hove Albion at the St Helens Stadium. The Reds will return looking to get back to winning ways after a rotten run in the league that saw them lose four consecutive matches.

The fact that those defeats came at the hands of Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea will make them hurt even more, but Matt Beard's side now have the opportunity to move up the table after a chance to regroup over Christmas.

Ticket remain on sale for the Brighton match, which kicks off on Friday evening, here. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the return to action.

Get January's Women's Football News - Euros 2025 Insights, Exclusive stories, plus 6 FREE WSL stickers inside. Click here for delivery

READ MORE: Women's Football News January Edition: The Year of the Lioness?

READ MORE: Jayden Danns scores again as Liverpool future remains uncertain

Hobinger signs new deal

Marie Hobinger has signed a new contract with Liverpool, declaring herself "confident and comfortable" at the club she joined in 2023.

The Austrian midfielder has established herself as a key player since her arrival and jumped at the chance to extend terms with the club. Hobinger does, however, remain sidlined with a groin injury she suffered in December.

"I'm so, so happy," she told Liverpoolfc.com.

"I think it's always an honour to play for Liverpool and I've enjoyed my time so, so much. I think I've also become much more confident and comfortable in that environment. I think it's a good place to be and to extend here.

"Wherever I am, I want to be the happiest and the best of myself, and I think the Liverpool environment makes it really easy.

"The football club, the city and all the people that I work with every day just give me the chance to get better every day, and I think that's exactly what I want. I've made friendships and, as you said, the city makes me feel [at] home as well."

New date for FA Cup clash

Liverpool's FA Cup fourth-round clash with West Ham United was called off earlier this week due to a frozen pitch. A late pitch inspection at the Chigwell Construction Stadium saw the game abandoned.

A new date was immediately put in place, with the Reds now travelling to face the Irons on Wednesday, January 29.

The victors will face Women's National League North outfit Rugby Borough in the fifth round.

New signings ready for action

The postponement of that FA Cup game meant that Liverpool supporters were forced to wait a little while longer to see new signings Sam Kerr and Julia Bartel in action.

But that's no bad thing, according to boss Matt Beard. The midfield pair, signed on loan from Bayern Munich and Chelsea respectively, have been given more time to train alongside their new team-mates and will now come into contention for the match against Brighton.

Beard said: "If I am going to take a positive from the fact the game was called off, it has given our new arrivals Sam Kerr and Julia Bartel a bit more time to settle in with a few more training sessions before the Brighton game.

"We are lucky enough that we have been able to train because we have undersoil heating on the pitch at Melwood, so we have utilised that well.

"Sam and Julia are settling in well. Sam knows a few of the girls anyway and Julia has settled in really well. Technically both are fantastic players – obviously Julia is slightly different to Sam.

"We have such a good group here and the players have welcomed them really well, so it has been good."

Sophie Roman Haug not ready for Brighton

Liverpool will be without Sophie Roman Haug for the clash with Brighton as the Norwegian continues to work her way back from an ankle injury suffered in October.

The forward had hoped to return immediately after the winter break but Beard has revealed that the target for her comeback will be at Leicester in a week's time.

He said: "I had anticipated we may get Sophie Roman Haug back for this game but I think she will now be back the week after when we travel to Leicester City.

"Sophie is not a million miles away and Leicester is more realistic for her now. She had a bit of a tight quad because obviously we have stepped up her training. But she is on the pitch now with Unders [sports therapist Chris Underwood], so she’s not a million miles away.

"There is no doubt that we have missed Sophie at both ends of the pitch and it has been a big loss for us.

"She is dangerous in both boxes. The thing with Sophie is a lot of teams we play against try to set traps and press you. But the amount of space she creates just with her aerial ability gives others opportunities."

Liverpool squad applaud Player of the Month win

Teenager Mia Enderby scooped Liverpool's Player of the Month award for December after playing three matches for the first team and scoring a brace against rivals Everton in the League Cup.

The 19-year-old was afforded a round of cheers and applause after Matt Beard announced the news to the squad and she admitted it had been a tough season so far.

She told Liverpoolfc.com: "Thank you. This honestly means a lot to me and I'm really honoured to get this trophy.

"It has been a hard season for me but I'm just trying to push on and hopefully I can get some more trophies.

"This is a big club and being able to start games in the WSL is really important to me and I want to push on and try to get more starts.

"With this being voted for by the fans makes it special. The support from the fans is really important for us and they get us through games and I just want to thank them for voting for me."

Man Utd star lends hand to Aintree programme

Manchester United and England star Ella Toone has lent her support to a national football education programme, offering young aspiring players aged 16 to 19 a career focused education programme, and a match-winning player development programme.

The programme will run across Access Sports' UK sites, including in Aintree, and gets underway in September 2025.

Toone said: “I always wanted to start my own academy to give girls a chance of fulfilling their dreams. ET7 is me giving back, a place to help develop young girls both on and off the pitch. Somewhere girls can play with a smile on their face and enjoy playing football within a safe environment.

"I am really looking forward to working with Access Sport College as it is clear our ethos align to represent the dream, believe, achieve values we have set here at the ET7 Academy ”

You can find more information here.