Liverpool Women defender Gilly Flaherty has revealed her heartbreak at being targeted for abuse on social media by disgruntled Reds fans, saying it "hits on another level".

The former Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham player, who also played for the England national team earlier in her career, moved to Liverpool in July.

Flaherty, 31, says she has been "slaughtered on social media" after matches in the Women's Super League by fans of her own team.

Her comments drew a largely sympathetic response, with some Liverpool supporters insisting such critics were in the minority.

Flaherty wrote on Twitter after Liverpool's 1-0 defeat at Tottenham on Sunday: "Joining a new team is hard in the first place but to not be approved of by the fans & to just get slaughtered on social media after most games by your own fans is [heartbreaking].

"I've never cared about opposition fans doing it but when it's your own fans it hits on another level."