Lotte Wubben-Moy has returned to the England squad and will be available for selection against Northern Ireland, but Demi Stokes will not play after being ruled out with a minor knee injury.
The Arsenal defender missed the Lionesses’ first two matches of the Euro 2022 group stages after testing positive for Covid, but took part in a training session on Wednesday and could be one of a number of players given minutes in Friday’s dead-rubber tie at St Mary’s.
Stokes, meanwhile, will follow an individual training programme with the hope of being fit for the quarter-final on 20 July.
England are guaranteed a place in the last eight as group winners, while Kenny Shiels’ side are already out after losing their opening two games.
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Ella Toone
Given Fran Kirby’s previous fitness issues, the Chelsea forward has not yet completed 90 minutes and has twice been replaced with Ella Toone around the hour mark. Were it not for Kirby’s return, the 22-year-old would no doubt be starting, with 11 goals in her 17 England caps so far. Toone also has previous with Northern Ireland defender Sarah McFadden, getting on the scoresheet when Manchester United beat Durham on penalties in the FA WSL Cup last October.
Alex Greenwood
Going into the tournament, Greenwood will have hoped to continue her centre-back partnership with Millie Bright but found herself the casualty of Leah Williamson’s move back into defence. That door is unlikely to open for Greenwood now, but another has been pushed ajar by the knock left-back Rachel Daly suffered at The Amex. She was replaced by Greenwood, who Wiegman will need to be match-sharp for the knockouts in case she needs to be called upon.
Alessia Russo
Like Toone, Russo had an argument to be starting before the Euros kicked off. Those calls have inevitably quietened since Ellen White’s superbly taken brace against Norway, but the young forward still made her case with a goal – England’s seventh of the night – from the bench.
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Wiegman is still easing Kelly back in – after all, she only completed her rehab from an ACL injury towards the end of last season. The 3-0 warm-up friendly win over Belgium prior to Euro 2022 was her first international appearance of the year, inspiring a flurry of late goals – but she has since looked comfortable in her half-hour and 20-minute spells against Austria and Norway.
Beth England
It’s been a familiarly quiet first tournament week for Beth England, who is yet to play a minute. Wiegman may also want to see more of Nikita Parris, who is also yet to get on the pitch. Yet England has been knocking on the door more recently with a goal against Switzerland – though her last international goals (2) came in the 20-0 win over Latvia in November 2021.
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