# 2022–23 Leicester City W.F.C. season

The 2022–23 Leicester City W.F.C. season was the club's 19th season of existence and their second season in the Women's Super League, the highest level of the football pyramid. Along with competing in the WSL, the club also contested two domestic cup competitions: the FA Cup and the League Cup.
On 3 November 2022, Leicester sacked manager Lydia Bedford after 332 days in charge and promoted Willie Kirk to the role. He had joined the club as Director of Women's and Girls' Football in July 2022.

## Squad

    As of 28 January 2023
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Demi Lambourne |
| 2 | DF | AUS | Courtney Nevin (on loan from Hammarby) |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Sam Tierney |
| 4 | DF | NZL | CJ Bott |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Abbie McManus |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Georgia Eaton-Collins |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Molly Pike |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Jessica Sigsworth |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Aileen Whelan (captain) |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Lachante Paul |
| 13 | DF | USA | Erin Simon |
| 14 | MF | WAL | Josie Green |
| 15 | DF | SCO | Sophie Howard |
| 16 | MF | WAL | Carrie Jones (on loan from Manchester United) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | FW | AUS | Remy Siemsen |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Missy Goodwin |
| 21 | FW | WAL | Hannah Cain |
| 22 | DF | NGA | Ashleigh Plumptre |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Jemma Purfield |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Shannon O'Brien |
| 28 | GK | ENG | Kirstie Levell |
| 30 | MF | ENG | Ruby Mace (on loan from Manchester City) |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Ava Baker |
| 33 | GK | GER | Janina Leitzig (on loan from Bayern Munich) |
| 34 | FW | ENG | Mackenzie Smith |
| 35 | GK | ENG | Sophia Poor |
| 40 | MF | ENG | Monique Robinson |
| 41 | MF | ENG | Jess Reavill |

## Women's Super League
### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 27 May 2023. Source: Barclays WSL

### Results by matchday

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| Ground | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | A |
| Result | L | L | L | L | L | L | L | L | L | W | L | W | L | D | L | L | W | W | L | L | L | W |
| Position | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 |

### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 8 | West Ham United | 22 | 6 | 3 | 13 | 23 | 44 | −21 | 21 | |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur | 22 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 31 | 47 | −16 | 18 | |
| 10 | Leicester City | 22 | 5 | 1 | 16 | 15 | 48 | −33 | 16 | |
| 11 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 22 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 26 | 63 | −37 | 16 | |
| 12 | Reading (R) | 22 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 23 | 57 | −34 | 11 | Relegation to the Championship |

## Women's FA Cup

As a member of the first tier, Leicester City entered the FA Cup in the fourth round proper.

## FA Women's League Cup
### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | WPEN | LPEN | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Manchester City | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | +12 | 12 | Advanced to knock-out stage |
| 2 | Liverpool | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 9 | Possible knock-out stage based on ranking |
| 3 | Leicester City | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 6 | |
| 4 | Sunderland | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | −9 | 0 | |
| 5 | Blackburn Rovers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | −10 | 0 | |

## Squad statistics
### Appearances

    As of 27 May 2023
Starting appearances are listed first, followed by substitute appearances after the + symbol where applicable.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | WSL | WSL | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Demi Lambourne | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | AUS | Courtney Nevin | 13 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Sam Tierney | 26 | 4 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2+2 | 1 |
| 4 | DF | NZL | CJ Bott | 23 | 0 | 13+6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Abbie McManus | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Georgia Eaton-Collins | 6 | 0 | 3+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ENG | Molly Pike | 22 | 2 | 8+10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 2 |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Jessica Sigsworth | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Aileen Whelan | 27 | 2 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2+2 | 1 |
| 11 | FW | ENG | Lachante Paul | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | USA | Erin Simon | 15 | 0 | 9+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | WAL | Josie Green | 16 | 1 | 12+3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | SCO | Sophie Howard | 26 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | WAL | Carrie Jones | 22 | 2 | 15+4 | 2 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | AUS | Remy Siemsen | 10 | 1 | 7+3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Missy Goodwin | 25 | 2 | 8+14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 21 | FW | WAL | Hannah Cain | 17 | 3 | 13+1 | 2 | 0+1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | NGA | Ashleigh Plumptre | 24 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | ENG | Jemma Purfield | 18 | 0 | 11+4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | ENG | Shannon O'Brien | 11 | 0 | 4+6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 28 | GK | ENG | Kirstie Levell | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | ENG | Ruby Mace | 11 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Ava Baker | 14 | 2 | 1+8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 33 | GK | GER | Janina Leitzig | 14 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | FW | ENG | Mackenzie Smith | 8 | 1 | 0+4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2+2 | 1 |
| 35 | GK | ENG | Sophia Poor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | MF | ENG | Monique Robinson | 10 | 1 | 0+6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 41 | MF | ENG | Jess Reavill | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| Players away from the club on loan: ||||||||||||
| 7 | FW | ENG | Natasha Flint | 11 | 1 | 5+4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | FW | ENG | Ellen Jones | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 44 | MF | ENG | Connie Scofield | 4 | 1 | 0+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Players who appeared for the club but left during the season: ||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | NIR | Demi Vance | 5 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Georgia Brougham | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Position | Name | From |
| 7 July 2022 | MF | Josie Green | Tottenham Hotspur |
| 8 July 2022 | FW | Aileen Whelan | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 11 July 2022 | DF | Erin Simon | Racing Louisville |
| 8 September 2022 | FW | Ellen Jones | Colorado Buffaloes |
| 16 September 2022 | DF | Demi Vance | Rangers |
| 12 January 2023 | FW | Remy Siemsen | Sydney FC |
| 26 January 2023 | DF | Georgia Eaton-Collins | UCF Knights |

### Loans in

| Date | Position | Name | From | Until |
| 21 July 2022 | MF | Carrie Jones | Manchester United | End of season |
| 13 January 2023 | GK | Janina Leitzig | Bayern Munich | End of season |
| 24 January 2023 | DF | Courtney Nevin | Hammarby | End of season |
| 28 January 2023 | MF | Ruby Mace | Manchester City | End of season |

### Transfers out

| Date | Position | Name | To |
| 23 May 2022 | FW | Esmee de Graaf | Feyenoord |
| 23 May 2022 | FW | Paige Bailey-Gayle | Crystal Palace |
| 23 May 2022 | GK | Sophie Harris | Southampton |
| 23 May 2022 | FW | Abbi Grant | Glasgow City |
| 23 May 2022 | MF | Luana Zajmi | Pomurje |
| 29 July 2022 | MF | Elysia Boddy | Bristol City |
| 12 January 2023 | DF | Demi Vance | Glentoran |
| 20 January 2023 | DF | Georgia Brougham | London City Lionesses |

### Loans out

| Date | Position | Name | To | Until |
| 8 July 2022 | MF | Sophie Barker | Sheffield United | End of season |
| 27 July 2022 | FW | Mackenzie Smith | Nottingham Forest | End of season |
| 29 July 2022 | MF | Charlie Devlin | Birmingham City | End of season |
| 13 January 2023 | FW | Ellen Jones | Coventry United | End of season |
| 18 January 2023 | MF | Connie Scofield | Coventry United | End of season |
| 31 January 2023 | FW | Natasha Flint | Celtic | End of season |
| 25 February 2023 | GK | Demi Lambourne | Coventry United | 3 March 2023 |
* ↑ Dual registration
* ↑ Emergency goalkeeper loan