Marie Hobinger’s late winner ensured a happy ending in Matt Beard’s 150th game as a manager in the Women’s Super League as the Reds edged Leicester 2-1 at Prenton Park.

Melissa Lawley opened the scoring for the hosts three minutes after the interval, with Missy Goodwin getting the visitors back on level terms nine minutes later before Hobinger’s 84th-minute sweet left-footed strike proved decisive in what was largely a scrappy encounter.

The result lifted Liverpool within touching distance of the top three, three points behind leaders Chelsea and three points clear of Leicester.

Beard, who led the Reds to WSL titles in 2013 and 2014 and managed West Ham between 2018-2020, returned to the club in 2021 and is slowly building a team who could challenge for major honours once again.

There seemed to be plenty of cobwebs to blow off for both sides during the first 45 minutes after a two-week break for the Nations League international fixtures.

Liverpool were the more threatening, mainly due to picking up loose balls as Leicester tried to pass their way out of defence.

And even when the visitors went long, the home side’s back three of Gemma Bonner, Jenna Clark and Jasmine Matthews dealt with any danger.

Leicester’s best chance came when right-back CJ Bott carried the ball 80 yards from her own penalty area after a Liverpool corner but, after exchanging passes with winger Hannah Cain, she could not get on the end of the return ball and the chance was cleared.

Janina Leitzig has been a key reason behind Leicester’s good start to the season and she produced the moment of the first half when she superbly tipped away Sophie Roman Haug’s looping header which looked destined for the far corner.

Leitzig pulled off a more straightforward save in first-half stoppage time as she palmed away a shot from distance by Hobinger after the Austria midfielder had created space with a clever turn.

The opener arrived shortly after the interval when Lawley unleashed a fierce shot into the roof of the net after a neat pass by Grace Fisk.

Nine minutes later the visitors levelled as Goodwin beat Reds keeper Rachael Laws with a superb effort into the far corner.

Liverpool had the better of the second-half chances with Roman Haug unfortunate on a number of occasions and, despite late pressure from Leicester, the hosts hung on for the win.