Missy Bo Kearns scored her fourth goal of the season to hand Liverpool three points against title-chasing Manchester CityLiverpool all but ended Manchester City's title hopes in the Women's Super League with a shock victory at Prenton Park.
Missy Bo Kearns fired the winner two minutes after the restart as she neatly controlled the ball before finding the far corner with an accomplished finish.
Lauren Hemp had equalised for the visitors with a guided header after Natasha Dowie opened the scoring.
City trail leaders Manchester United by six points with two games remaining.
The visitors produced a below-par performance but came close to saving a point late on as Hemp's dipping effort failed to cross the line after bouncing down off the crossbar.
Defeat for Gareth Taylor's side essentially ends their title challenge as they have a significantly inferior goal difference of 25 compared to Manchester United's 42.
City never get going as their title challenge falls away
City would have taken to the field knowing United had recorded a comfortable 3-0 win over Tottenham earlier on Sunday, and they were nearly handed an early gift as Liverpool keeper Faye Kirby made a mess of her clearance before recovering well to keep out Laura Coombs' chipped effort.
But having failed to take the chance, Coombs then returned the favour with a crucial mistake of her own.
Dowie latched on to her loose back pass to tuck the ball past Ellie Roebuck with a neat first-time finish and Liverpool were up and running.
City responded well and parity was restored through Hemp as she met Chloe Kelly's cross with an accurate header for her sixth WSL goal of the season.
Both sides went into interval level but Liverpool regained the lead soon after the restart as Kearns smashed an angled finish past Roebuck.
Those inside Prenton Park would have been expecting a fightback from City but it was Liverpool who had the better chances to extend their lead.
First, Shanice van de Sanden ran clear of the City defence before forcing Roebuck into an excellent save, and then Emma Koivisto's attempted cross found the woodwork and bounced clear.
Hemp's late shot at goal was adjudged not to have crossed the line, and with it went City's challenge to their neighbours United, whom they face away from home in their next game.
Liverpool remain seventh in the table after claiming only their sixth victory of the campaign following their promotion from the Championship, but they have shown they are capable of beating the big teams in the top flight after their opening-day win over Chelsea.
Line-ups
Liverpool Women
Formation 5-3-2
22Kirby
2Koivisto23Bonner4Roberts6Matthews12Hinds
7Kearns8Nagano18Holland
24Stengel29Dowie
22Kirby2Koivisto23Bonner4Roberts6Matthews12Hinds7KearnsSubstituted forTaylorat 77'minutes8Nagano18HollandBooked at 45mins24StengelSubstituted forLundgaardat 90+1'minutes29DowieSubstituted forvan de Sandenat 50'minutesSubstitutes
1Laws3Robe5Fahey9Kiernan15Lundgaard17Humphrey19van de Sanden21Cumings35TaylorMan City Women
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Roebuck
2Casparij6Houghton5Greenwood14Morgan
25Hasegawa12Angeldahl
9Kelly7Coombs11Hemp
21Shaw
1RoebuckBooked at 74mins2CasparijSubstituted forRasoat 62'minutes6Houghton5Greenwood14Morgan25Hasegawa12AngeldahlSubstituted forCastellanosat 62'minutes9KellyBooked at 90mins7Coombs11HempSubstituted forOuahabiat 90+8'minutes21ShawSubstitutes
3Stokes10Castellanos13Raso15Ouahabi35Keating42DahouLive Text
Match ends, Liverpool Women 2, Manchester City Women 1.
Second Half ends, Liverpool Women 2, Manchester City Women 1.
Substitution, Manchester City Women. Leila Ouahabi replaces Lauren Hemp.
Attempt missed. Hayley Raso (Manchester City Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
Attempt blocked. Khadija Shaw (Manchester City Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, Manchester City Women. Conceded by Emma Koivisto.
Substitution, Liverpool Women. Sofie Lundgaard replaces Katie Stengel.
Chloe Kelly (Manchester City Women) is shown the yellow card.
Attempt missed. Esme Morgan (Manchester City Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Khadija Shaw.
Attempt blocked. Alex Greenwood (Manchester City Women) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Chloe Kelly with a cross.
Corner, Manchester City Women. Conceded by Jasmine Matthews.
Corner, Manchester City Women. Conceded by Jasmine Matthews.
Lauren Hemp (Manchester City Women) hits the bar with a left footed shot from the left side of the box.
Attempt blocked. Chloe Kelly (Manchester City Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Stephanie Houghton.
Attempt missed. Alex Greenwood (Manchester City Women) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Chloe Kelly with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Manchester City Women. Conceded by Taylor Hinds.
Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Katie Stengel (Liverpool Women).
Foul by Lauren Hemp (Manchester City Women).
Fuka Nagano (Liverpool Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
