Steph Houghton is not in the England squad for the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup that starts next week, after the Manchester City captain aggravated the achilles injury she sustained in September.
The 33-year-old defender returned to action in early January but played only five times before being sidelined again and will miss the four-team tournament in which England face Canada, Spain and Germany.
“She is really, really disappointed of course but you need to do smart things too,” said England’s manager, Sarina Wiegman. “If you need more time to get fit you have to take that time, otherwise you’ll be out for a longer period and that’s what we don’t want, what Manchester City doesn’t want and what she doesn’t want.”
Houghton picked up an achilles injury during Wiegman’s first game in charge, an 8-0 defeat of North Macedonia last September, and is in a race to prove her fitness for the rigours of a home Euros which kick off on 6 July.
“She did well when she came out of the winter break, she played well, but now she needs a bit more time to get fit again,” said Wiegman. “Hopefully she’ll recover in a short while and can build up some playing minutes.”
Wiegman has been able to call in Houghton’s clubmates Lucy Bronze and Ellie Roebuck for the first time after both missed the past three camps through injury. Arsenal’s Leah Williamson is also back, having captained the team in Wiegman’s first camp before being injured for November’s matches, but Chelsea’s Beth England is out injured.
Goalkeepers Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton, Ellie Roebuck
Defenders Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Niamh Charles, Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood, Demi Stokes, Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy
Midfielders Fran Kirby, Jordan Nobbs, Jill Scott, Georgia Stanway, Keira Walsh, Katie Zelem
Forwards Lauren Hemp, Beth Mead, Nikita Parris, Alessia Russo, Ella Toone, Ellen White
The manager said players not called up still had a chance of breaking into the group before the Euros. “It really starts with performing, and being fit, getting playing minutes so we can value you at games, and that’s what it’s all about. So yes, in April, if we think one player has done really, really well and she can be a good player for our squad, then I wouldn’t hesitate to select her.”
The Lionesses are getting set for their toughest test before the Euros with friendlies against the Olympic gold medal winners Canada in Middlesbrough on 17 February, a Spain side laden with Barcelona’s European champions in Norwich on 20 September and the eight-times European Champions Germany in Wolverhampton on 23 February.
Under Wiegman, England have played six 2023 World Cup qualifiers, scoring 53 times without reply.
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“This is what we need,” said Wiegman. “We had a very good autumn with these three camps and now we really need these games to know where we are and from there we can continue. This is a tournament where we play world-class opponents and we’ll really know where we stand in our preparations for the Euros.”
