Manchester United Women will begin their inaugural season with a Continental Tyres League Cup game against Liverpool after fixtures for the season were announced.
The game, which will be played at Prenton Park on August 19, kicks off a season in the second tier of women’s football for the Reds as they seek to join rivals Manchester City in the top flight.
United’s first league fixture is away at Aston Villa on Sunday, September 9 while they will welcome Sheffield United to Leigh Sports Village on Thursday, September 20.
Manchester City Women will begin their league season with a trip to Kingsmeadow to face Champions Chelsea on Sunday, September 9, a tough start to the new WSL season.
Their first home league fixture will be against Bristol City at the Academy Stadium on Sunday, September 23.
City have been active in the transfer market with the signings of Tessa Wullaert, Lauren Hemp, Caroline Weir and Gemma Bonner offset by the departures of Tessel Middag, Jane Ross, Ella Toone, and Izzy Christiansen.
Christiansen joined former City team mate Lucy Bronze at Champions League winners Olympique Lyon after spells out of the team last season.
The England midfielder, who scored 32 goals in 110 appearances for the Blues, also represented England – scoring on her full debut during a Euro 2017 qualifier against Estonia.
City suffered a further blow this week when Danish striker Nadia Nadim handed in a transfer request, claiming she “doesn’t feel at home” in Manchester.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Nadim also said that “I’ve never felt home either in Manchester or Man City.
“I have made it very clear to the management that I want out, and this is something I’ve felt for a long time.”
City boss Nick Cushing claimed the club would ‘find a solution’ to Nadim’s transfer request but would not confirm if the 30-year old’s transfer request would be granted.