Leah Williamson back in England squad but Nikita Parris misses out

13-Feb-2024 14:33:08 | Guardian

Arsenal defender picked for first time since April
Sarina Wiegman says leaving out forward was a tough decision

The England women’s manager, Sarina Wiegman, has welcomed Arsenal’s Leah Williamson back into the international fold for the friendlies against Austria and Italy but ignored the compelling case for recalling Manchester United’s Nikita Parris.

After scoring six goals in her past seven games and 15 in all competitions this season, Parris had been widely tipped to return to the England squad. Wiegman, though, was not sufficiently convinced to include a forward who established herself as a key Lioness under Mark Sampson and Phil Neville.