SUNDERLAND LADIES have been handed a daunting start to life in the top-flight of the Women’s Super League as they will travel to reigning champions Liverpool for their opening fixture of the new season.

The Lady Black Cats won promotion from WSL 2 last season, and will kick off life in the top-flight with a trip to Widnes to take on a Liverpool side who won the title in a thrilling last-day decider last autumn.

The opening game is scheduled for Wednesday, March 25 and could well be selected for live coverage on BT Sport.

“The first game of the season against Sunderland will no doubt be a really tough opening game for us,” said Liverpool captain Gemma Bonner. “They are a team with some really exciting young players coming through the ranks with the likes of Beth Mead and Keira Ramshaw, and they will definitely provide us with a tough test as we begin out title defence.”

Sunderland, who recently appointed former Wimbledon midfielder Carlton Fairweather as their new head coach, host Manchester City, who boast Wearsiders Steph Houghton and Jill Scott in their ranks, in their first home game on Wednesday, April 1.

The WSL will take a mid-season break for the Women’s World Cup in Canada in June, with the Continental Cup starting in the second half of the season, with fixtures due to be announced shortly.

Sunderland’s final home game sees them host Arsenal at The Hetton Centre on September 26, with the campaign finishing with a trip to Chelsea on October 4.

Durham Women remain in WSL 2, and begin their second season with a trip to Doncaster Rovers Belles on Thursday, March 19.

Their first home game at New Ferens Park sees them host Oxford United on March 19, with their final fixture taking them to the West Country to face Yeovil Town on October 18.

Sunderland fixtures: March 25 Liverpool (a), April 1 Man City (h), April 18 Bristol Academy (h), April 26 Arsenal (a), April 29 Notts County (a), May 9 Birmingham City (h), July 12 Notts County (h), July 18 Chelsea (h), July 25 Bristol Academy (a), August 8 Liverpool (h), August 23 Birmingham City (a), September 6 Man City (a), September 26 Arsenal (h), October 4 Chelsea (a)

Durham fixtures: March 19 Doncaster Rovers Belles (a), March 29 Oxford United (h), April 5 Millwall Lionesses (h), April 19 London Bees (a), April 26 Millwall Lionesses (a), May 10 Oxford United (a), May 17 Aston Villa (h), May 21 Doncaster Rovers Belles (h), May 31 Reading (h), July 11 Reading (a), July 19 Watford (a), July 26 London Bees (h), August 9 Aston Villa (a), August 23 Everton (h), September 6 Yeovil Town (h), September 27 Everton (a), October 4 Watford (h), October 18 Yeovil Town (a)