The 2022–23 Women's Super League season (also known as the Barclays Women's Super League for sponsorship reasons) was the 12th edition of the Women's Super League (WSL) since it was formed in 2010. It was the fifth season after the rebranding of the four highest levels in English women's football.
Ahead of the season the top two tiers unveiled a new visual identity, dropping "The FA" from the league names as part of the long term strategy for the leagues to be under new ownership in the future. Due to start on 9 September 2022, the FA postponed all of the weekend's football fixtures following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022. The first match was instead played the following week on 16 September.
Chelsea successfully defended their title by defeating Reading, whose relegation from the division after an eight-year stint was confirmed by the result, 3–0 on the final matchday. It was Chelsea's fourth consecutive and sixth overall WSL title. Manchester United became the first side since 2014 to break into the WSL's top three which had been occupied by Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City in various combinations for the previous seven seasons.
Rachel Daly was topscorer and equalled the league record of 22 goals first set by Vivianne Miedema in 2018–19. She became the first English player to win the award since Ellen White in 2017–18. Mary Earps won the golden glove and broke the record for clean sheets in a WSL season with 14.
On 24 September 2022, a new record WSL attendance was set at 47,367 during a match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal won 4–0.
Teams Twelve teams contested the 2022–23 Women's Super League season. Liverpool were confirmed as the 2021–22 FA Women's Championship champions on 3 April 2022, ensuring that they would return to the WSL for the first time since the 2019–20 season after a two year absence. On 4 May 2022, founding members Birmingham City were relegated meaning the 2022–23 season was the first WSL season without them.
Team Location Ground Capacity 2021–22 season Arsenal Borehamwood Meadow ParkThree matches moved to the Emirates Stadium. 4,050 2nd Aston Villa Walsall Bescot StadiumFive matches moved to Villa Park. 11,300 9th Brighton & Hove Albion Crawley Broadfield StadiumMatch v Reading moved to Falmer Stadium. 5,800 7th Chelsea Kingston upon Thames KingsmeadowMatch v Tottenham Hotspur moved to Stamford Bridge. 4,850 1st Everton Liverpool Walton Hall Park 2,200 10th Leicester City Leicester King Power Stadium 32,212 11th Liverpool Birkenhead Prenton ParkMatch v Everton moved to Anfield. 16,547 Manchester City Manchester Academy StadiumMatch v Manchester United moved to City of Manchester Stadium. 7,000 3rd Manchester United Leigh Leigh Sports VillageTwo matches moved to Old Trafford. 12,000 4th Reading Reading Madejski Stadium 24,161 8th Tottenham Hotspur Leyton Brisbane RoadThree matches moved to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 9,271 5th West Ham United Dagenham Victoria Road 6,078 6th
Stadium changes Having spent the previous three seasons at The Hive Stadium following promotion to the WSL in 2019, Tottenham Hotspur relocated to Brisbane Road, home of Leyton Orient, ahead of the 2022–23 season.
In addition, eight of the ten clubs whose women's team play at secondary stadia moved select matches to the club's primary ground throughout the season. This would have included on opening weekend with Brighton & Hove Albion hosting Aston Villa at Falmer Stadium, Chelsea hosting West Ham United at Stamford Bridge, and Tottenham Hotspur hosting Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. With Reading already playing at the Madejski Stadium, it would have meant four of the six openers taking place at the stadium used by their respective clubs' men's team with Everton and Manchester City the only home sides not to do so. However, the opening weekend was postponed along with all other football fixture in the country following the death of Elizabeth II, meaning the predicted "record breaking start" to the season off the back of Euro 2022 was on hold. Everton and West Ham United were the two teams to not play any WSL matches at the club's primary ground during the season.
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsorArsenal AdidasFly EmiratesAston Villa CastoreCazooBrighton & Hove Albion NikeAmerican ExpressChelsea NikeThreeEverton HummelStake.comLeicester City AdidasFBSLiverpool NikeStandard CharteredManchester City PumaEtihad AirwaysManchester United AdidasTeamViewerReading MacronSelect Car LeasingTottenham Hotspur (interim) NikeAIAWest Ham United UmbroBetway
Managerial changes TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in tableIncoming managerDate of appointmentEverton (interim)End of interim period8 May 2022End of season (10th) 5 June 2022West Ham United Resigned8 May 2022End of season (6th) 8 May 2022Brighton & Hove Albion 31 October 202211th (interim)31 October 2022Leicester City Lydia BedfordSacked3 November 202212th Willie Kirk3 November 2022Brighton & Hove Albion (interim)End of interim period28 December 202211th 28 December 2022 Mutual consent6 March 202311th (interim)6 March 2023Tottenham Hotspur Sacked13 March 202310th (interim)13 March 2023Brighton & Hove Albion (interim)End of interim period7 April 202312th 7 April 2023
League table
Results
Season statistics Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals1 Rachel DalyAston Villa222 Khadija ShawManchester City203 Bethany EnglandChelsea / Tottenham Hotspur14*4 Sam KerrChelsea125 Leah GaltonManchester United10 Alessia RussoManchester United7 Frida MaanumArsenal9 Guro ReitenChelsea Katie StengelLiverpool10 Stina BlacksteniusArsenal8 Lucía GarcíaManchester United Pernille HarderChelsea
Notes * 2 goals for Chelsea, 12 goals for Tottenham Hotspur
Clean sheets RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 Mary EarpsManchester United142 Manuela ZinsbergerArsenal103 Ann-Katrin BergerChelsea84 Mackenzie ArnoldWest Ham United5 Hannah HamptonAston Villa Janina LeitzigLeicester City Ellie RoebuckManchester City8 Courtney BrosnanEverton49 Tinja-Riikka KorpelaTottenham Hotspur3 Rachael LawsLiverpool Zećira MušovićChelsea Emily RamseyEverton
Hat-tricks Player For Against Result DateRef. Rachel DalyAston VillaReading3–1 (H)20 November 2022 Jordan NobbsBrighton & Hove Albion6–2 (A)12 February 2023 Alessia RussoManchester UnitedLeicester City5–1 (H)5 March 2023 Khadija ShawManchester CityTottenham Hotspur3–1 (H) Rachel DalyAston VillaReading5–0 (A)7 May 2023
Discipline Most yellow cardsTotalMost red cardsTotalRef.Player Katie McCabe (Arsenal)7 Aggie Beever-Jones (Everton) Jackie Burns (Reading) Hawa Cissoko (West Ham United) Emma Kullberg (Brighton & Hove Albion) Ruby Mace (Leicester City) Ashleigh Neville (Tottenham Hotspur) Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City) Ella Toone (Manchester United)1ClubLeicester CityReadingTottenham Hotspur30Brighton & Hove AlbionEvertonLeicester CityManchester CityManchester UnitedReadingTottenham HotspurWest Ham United1
Awards Monthly awards MonthManager of the MonthPlayer of the MonthGoal of the MonthRef.ManagerClubPlayerClubPlayerClubSeptember Carla WardAston Villa Rachel DalyAston Villa Ashleigh Neville (vs. Leicester City)Tottenham HotspurOctober Marc SkinnerManchester United Khadija ShawManchester City Rachel Rowe (vs. Leicester City)ReadingNovember Emma Hayes Denise ReddyChelsea Rachel DalyAston Villa Erin Cuthbert (vs. Tottenham Hotspur)ChelseaDecember Marc SkinnerManchester United Leah GaltonManchester United Vivianne Miedema (vs. Everton)ArsenalJanuary Carla WardAston Villa Gabby GeorgeEverton Rachel Williams (vs. Reading)Manchester UnitedFebruary Gareth TaylorManchester City Jordan NobbsAston Villa Lauren James (vs. Tottenham Hotspur)ChelseaMarch Gareth TaylorManchester City Khadija ShawManchester City Sam Kerr (vs. Manchester United)ChelseaApril Marc SkinnerManchester United Chloe KellyManchester City Katie McCabe (vs. Manchester City)Arsenal Annual awards
Award Winner Club Barclays WSL Player of the Season Rachel Daly Aston Villa Barclays WSL Manager of the Season Emma Hayes ChelseaBarclays WSL Goal of the Season Katie McCabe (vs. Manchester City)Arsenal PFA Players' Player of the Year Rachel DalyAston Villa PFA Young Player of the Year Lauren JamesChelsea FWA Footballer of the Year Sam Kerr Chelsea
PFA Team of the Year Goalkeeper Mary Earps (Manchester United) Defenders Ona Batlle (Manchester United) Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United) Alex Greenwood (Manchester City) Rafaelle Souza (Arsenal) Midfielders Guro Reiten (Chelsea) Frida Maanum (Arsenal) Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City) Forwards Rachel Daly (Aston Villa) Khadija Shaw (Manchester City) Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
Highest attendances Top 10 highest attendances
Rank Club Attendance Stadium Opposition Result DateRef1Arsenal47,367Emirates StadiumTottenham Hotspur4–024 September 20222Arsenal46,881Emirates StadiumChelsea1–115 January 20233Manchester City44,259City of Manchester StadiumManchester United1–111 December 20224Arsenal40,064Emirates StadiumManchester United2–319 November 20225Chelsea38,350Stamford BridgeTottenham Hotspur3–020 November 20226Manchester United30,196Old TraffordAston Villa5–03 December 20227Liverpool28,574AnfieldEverton0–325 September 20228Manchester United27,919Old TraffordWest Ham United4–025 March 20239Everton22,161Goodison ParkLiverpool1–124 March 202310Tottenham Hotspur21,940Tottenham Hotspur StadiumManchester United1–212 February 2023
Highest attendances by home team
Club Attendance Stadium Opposition Result DateRefArsenal47,367Emirates StadiumTottenham Hotspur4–024 September 2022Aston Villa7,517Villa ParkManchester City3–321 May 2023Brighton & Hove Albion5,220Falmer StadiumReading2–125 September 2022Chelsea38,350Stamford BridgeTottenham Hotspur3–020 November 2022Everton22,161Goodison ParkLiverpool1–124 March 2023Leicester City4,007King Power StadiumManchester United0–123 October 2022Liverpool28,574AnfieldEverton0–325 September 2022Manchester City44,259City of Manchester StadiumManchester United1–111 December 2022Manchester United30,196Old TraffordAston Villa5–03 December 2022Reading5,108Madejski StadiumManchester United0–122 January 2023Tottenham Hotspur21,940Tottenham Hotspur StadiumManchester United1–212 February 2023West Ham United2,832Victoria RoadArsenal0–05 February 2023
References
External links Official website