Arsenal star Beth Mead has been called up to the Lionesses squad for the first time since suffering an ACL injury in November last year.
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Sarina Wiegman names Nations League squadMead returns after a year outNo place for Man City keeper RoebuckWHAT HAPPENED?
The Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner was forced to miss England's 2023 World Cup campaign due to the issue, but made her first start for Arsenal this season in a 3-0 WSL victory over Brighton at the weekend. Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman has wasted no time drafting the 28-year-old back into her squad, but there is no place for Manchester City goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Roebuck has paid the price after being displaced as Manchester City's first-choice goalkeeper by Khiara Keating this term. She was one of four goalkeepers called up to Wiegman's last squad in October, but only Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton and Keating have made the cut this time around.
WHAT SARINA WIEGMAN SAID
England must beat the Netherlands in their next Nations League fixture to keep their hopes of finishing top of League A, Group 1 alive. Wiegman's side will then travel to Hampden for a grudge match against Scotland, and the manager has issued a rallying cry ahead of the two fixtures. “We know we’ll need to win our last two games of 2023 and we’ll give everything we have for that outcome," she told a press conference. "This group have shown resilience and strength of character time and time again and I have absolutely no doubts we’ll be ready to go when the whistle blows for both fixtures. We always embrace the opportunity to play at Wembley, it’s been home to some of our biggest and happiest occasions. We’ll need the crowd to play their part and continue the incredible backing they’ve shown for the team. They’ve always been there when we need them and we’ll need them once again. An away fixture against Scotland is also an occasion we’ll all look forward to, but we’ll take it one game at a time.”
Wiegman added on Mead's return: “She’s shown enough to me and for my technical staff to bring her in. She is a character that brings positive energy off the pitch and on the pitch and it’s good to have her back. Her experience, the way she plays, she’s different than other players on the wing, she brings different things so that’s good we have different opportunities again. Off pitch gives us some extra energy.”
LIONESSES SQUAD IN FULL
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Manchester City)
Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Grace Clinton (Tottenham Hotspur), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Katie Zelem (Manchester United)
Forwards: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal) Alessia Russo (Arsenal)