Leicester's Women Face Bristol City In WSL Opener

LCFC Women
29 Sep 2023
3 Minutes
LCFC Women commence their 2023/24 Barclays Women's Super League campaign against Bristol City on Sunday afternoon.

After a long and testing pre-season, the Foxes are ready to kick-off their competitive campaign with a trip to newly-promoted Bristol City, who they will face at Ashton Gate on Sunday at 2pm BST, as manager Willie Kirk prepares to better last season's 10th-placed finish, securing safety on the final day.

Ahead of this weekend's match with the Robins, here is a look into both camps...

The Foxes camp

Playing Liverpool in a pre-season friendly at Belvoir Drive.

It's been over four months since Leicester last played a competitive fixture, but they have been preparing well with several pre-season friendlies against top-flight opposition, including a win at Belvoir Drive against Kirk's former employers Everton, as new signing Lena Petermann, Shannon O'Brien and Sam Tierney found the net.

Now preparing for a trip to another former club of his, the 44-year-old will arrive with a new-look squad after a busy summer transfer window has seen nine players come through the door, including Courtney Nevin and 'keeper Janina Leitzig, who committed their future to Leicester after successful loan periods last term.

It took the Foxes all the way until January before collecting their first points during the 2022/23 season, which then led to them becoming the first side to overturn a 10-point deficit on their way to safety, but after learning valuable lessons from their last campaign, the Club will be hoping the can start as they mean to go on, looking upwards instead of checking over their shoulder in what will be their third consecutive season in the WSL. 

The opposition

The Robins claimed the 2022/23 Barclays Women's Championship title.

Sunday's opponents Bristol City will face the Foxes in what will be their first WSL fixture since May 2021, when a 3-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion condemned them to relegation. But after just two seasons, the Robins are back in the top tier of women's football after clinching the Barclays Women's Championship title with a game to go, prior to a third place finish the year before.

Grace Clinton, Abi Harrison, Brooke Aspin and Ffion Morgan scored the goals in a 4-0 win over Charlton Athletic on the final day to round off their comeback season in style. The Bristol-based side therefore arrive in the WSL in fine form, winning 15 of their 22 matches last campaign on the way to achieving an impressive 48 points.

The Robins have also strengthened during the recent transfer window, with the likes of Jessica Simpson and Rachel Furness arriving from Manchester United and Liverpool respectively, while Welsh winger Carrie Jones, who spent last year on loan at Leicester, has also moved to Ashton Gate. 

In the dugout

Bristol City Women manager Lauren Smith.

Lauren Smith is Bristol City's manager and has been since her appointment back in the summer of 2021. Known for promoting academy products through to the first team, this will be her first time in the WSL with Bristol City after claiming the LMA Championship Manager of the Season for 2022/23 award.

She began her coaching career in 2010 within the club's academy set-up, and seven years later, left to become the assistant coach to Jayne Ludlow for the Wales national team. After a short stint with Tottenham Hotspur, she returned to Bristol, where she hopes to make a name for herself in the Women's Super League. 

Last time out

Leicester faced Bristol City during the 2022/23 pre-season.

There hasn't been many meetings between the two sides, however their paths did cross in February of 2021 when they met in the semi-finals of the Continental Tyres League Cup at Twerton Park - Kiera Skeels, now of Charlton, scoring the only goal of the game in the 72nd minute.

Before that, Leicester faced the Robins in 2018, also in the League Cup, when an end-to-end game at Farley Way Stadium saw the Foxes beat the Bristol-based club on penalties after a double from Lucy Graham took the game to a shootout. The home side went in front twice via Melissa Johnson and then Sophie Domingo.

Ticketing & live coverage details

Ashton Gate.

All the ticketing information, and how you can stay up to date with the Foxes' first game of the season, can be found HERE.