Liverpool have postponed their Women’s Super League fixture with Aston Villa following the death of former manager Matt Beard. Beard, who had two spells in charge of the club, left in February. During his first spell he won back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014, and he returned in 2021 after time with the Boston Breakers in the United States, West Ham and Bristol City. He steered Liverpool to promotion back to the WSL in his first season back and remained in charge until February.

The club said Beard, aged 47, died unexpectedly in a statement issued late on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday that the Villa Park clash scheduled for 12:00 BST would not go ahead. Details of a rearrangement will be announced in due course. Beard later took charge of Burnley in June but resigned in August after a short spell in charge. Burnley’s match with West Brom was postponed on Sunday following the news.

The Women’s Super League said a minute’s silence would be observed across all games on Sunday in Beard’s memory. Other matches were due to go ahead, including Chelsea v Leicester, Brighton v West Ham and Arsenal v Manchester United.