Chloe Kelly & Ella Toone dropped from England squad as Sarina Wiegman hands Chelsea starlet Lexi Potter first Lionesses call-up ahead of crucial World Cup qualifier against Greece
Kelly & Toone left out of England squad
The absences of Kelly and Toone are the most notable, with both having been stalwarts in the England team since the European Championship triumph of 2022. However, Kelly has started just one of Arsenal's first five games of the new season, with Toone on the opposing bench when the Gunners played out a 1-1 draw with Manchester United earlier this month. That said, the Red Devils' No.7 was back in the line-up four days later, producing a goal and an assist in a League Cup victory over Sheffield United, then started the 2-1 win over West Ham on Sunday.
There is growing competition for places in this England squad, though, with there a feeling in recent weeks that surely Wiegman could not ignore the form of Potter, the 20-year-old midfielder who has begun the new season as a regular starter at Chelsea. Erica Parkinson, meanwhile, has made a promising start to life in the United States with the North Carolina Courage and has been knocking on the door for a recall, having made the April squad but not the June one.
Both youngsters have made the cut, meaning that some omissions were going to have to be made in the midfield and attacking areas and it is Kelly and Toone who drop out.
Keating returns as more notable names miss out
Other notable absentees include Lotte Wubben-Moy and Taylor Hinds, with the two Arsenal defenders both only playing once for the Gunners in their opening five games. Niamh Charles is included among the defenders after making her return from injury off the Manchester City bench at the weekend and there is a place for Grace Fisk, the Liverpool centre-back.
Aggie Beever-Jones is not included, however, after struggling with injury in recent weeks, with her only managing 10 minutes in Chelsea's win over Arsenal on Sunday. Ellie Roebuck hasn't played yet this season either, having had shoulder surgery in the summer, so her place among the goalkeepers is taken by Khiara Keating, who is back to getting regular game time after a summer switch to Liverpool.
England Lionesses squad in full
Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Liverpool), Anna Moorhouse (Orlando Pride)
Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Jess Carter (Gotham), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Grace Fisk (Liverpool), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Leah Williamson (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Laura Blindkilde Brown (Manchester City), Lucia Kendall (Aston Villa), Erica Parkinson (North Carolina Courage), Lexi Potter (Chelsea), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Keira Walsh (Chelsea)
Forwards: Freya Godfrey (London City Lionesses), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Jess Park (Manchester United), Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
World Cup qualification on the line as England face Greece
After failing to secure the one automatic qualification spot in a tough group with Spain, England will travel to the Greek island of Crete for the first leg of their first Women's World Cup qualifying tie, facing Greece at the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion on Friday 9 October. The return leg will then take place at Leicester City's King Power Stadium on Tuesday 13 October. The Lionesses will be heavy favourites to come through the tie, taking on a side placed 59th in the FIFA world rankings.
Win and there will be one more tie for England to contend with in order to qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup, against either Slovakia or Ukraine. Again, the Lionesses will be expected to emerge victorious, not least because they just beat Ukraine, favourites in that tie, twice in the group stage of World Cup qualifying. Slovakia sit some 20 places lower in the FIFA world rankings and have never qualified for a major tournament.
The Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Norway are among the other European giants having to come through qualifying, with Spain, Denmark, France and Germany having clinched UEFA's only automatic berths.
