Women's Super League: Leicester City reinvigorated heading into new season with 'great escape' lessons, new faces and ambition

Leicester survived relegation on the final day of the season; They overturned a seven-goal deficit with a string of results after the winter break; Deanne Rose has joined the club this summer, with Janina Leitzig signing permanently; Follow the return of the WSL across Sky Sports

Senior football journalist

Friday 15 September 2023 20:46, UK

Leicester are heading into the new WSL season with a new invigoration. Their first two seasons in England’s top league were fraught with uncertainty, including managerial changes and relegation battles.

But there is an air of optimism around the club this summer. A run of good form after the winter break saw them secure their WSL status on the final day, and if the Foxes had their way, they would have kept going such was their momentum.

From January until the end of the season, Leicester won five and drew one of their final 13 WSL games, having won none up until that point.

Under experienced WSL manager Willie Kirk, the Foxes overturned a seven-point deficit to pull off the greatest of escapes — something that had never been achieved in the league before.

«We finished the season strong, we overturned the seven points which was amazing, we defied all the odds,» Leicester forward Hannah Cain told Sky Sports.

«The last five months of the season were almost like our start so when it stopped, it was a case of 'let's just keep going'. For me personally, I'd only been back playing since January so I was ready and raring to carry on going.

»It's been a tough few seasons, finding our feet and we're a new team in the WSL. It's hard coming into the league, it's arguably the best league in the world."

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