Manchester United women’s first game following their inception earlier this year will be against Liverpool as the fixture list for the new season was unveiled on Wednesday.

United face their Merseyside rivals in Group Two North of the Continental League Cup on 19 August. That game will feature the battle of the two new managers as United’s Casey Stoney takes on Neil Redfearn, former Leeds and Rotherham manager who took charge of the Reds in June. United’s first match in the Women’s Championship will be against Aston Villa on 8 September.

Meanwhile, Chelsea begin the defence of their Women’s Super League title with a home game against Manchester City. Emma Hayes’s team, who won the league for the second time in 2017-18, will host last season’s runners-up at Kingsmeadow on 9 September.

Liverpool begin their Super League campaign with a trip to Arsenal, while in other opening weekend games Birmingham host Everton, Brighton take on Bristol City and Reading welcome Yeovil.