England Women’s play China in Manchester on Thursday evening – their final home game before they head off to Canada for the World Cup this summer.
Mark Sampson has gone with a very attacking team, selecting nine forward players for his squad, which seems to have worked so far in qualifiers, after his team scored 51 goals in ten games.
England who are currently ranked sixth in the world, will play at Manchester City’s brand new 7,000-seater Academy Stadium.
City have four players in the squad including striker Toni Duggan, who scored ten goals in qualifying. She spoke to the FA website ahead of the match.
“We did really well in World Cup qualification. We can’t hide from the fact that the [other] teams probably weren’t up to our level.
“At a World Cup there are no easy games. It has been great preparation, although we have had some defeats. You learn more from a defeat than a win.”
There were also calls up for Chelsea’s Gemma Davison who has scored four goals in three games for the Blues this season, and Reading’s Fran Kirby who’s reached double figures already in just three games for the Royals.
Notts County’s Ellen White could earn her 50th cap for England after she returns to the set-up following over a year out through injury.
There is no place in the side for Birmingham forward Karen Carney and City’s Stephanie Houghton who are both currently facing time on the treatment table.
Before the Lionesses kick off their World Cup campaign they will play Canada in Ontario on the 29th of May, as their final warm-up game, and will be looking to rub salt in the wounds of the Canadians having beat them in the Cyprus Cup final last month.
England are in Group F at the World Cup with France, Colombia and Mexico, and will play their opening game on the 9th of June at Moncton.
