Sarina Wiegman, who has just taken over the role of England’s head coach after conclusion of her tenure with the Dutch national side, has named a 25-player squad to take on North Macedonia and Luxemburg in the coming weeks.

A mix of fresh faces, returning names and regular starters have offered supporters a breath means that Wiegman’s first selection has given plenty of food for thought.

Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps re-joins after a lengthy sabbatical from the international squad, despite keeping ten clean sheets in the Women’s Super League last season. Similarly to her predecessors, Wiegman has opted for an experienced goalkeeper to oversee her younger cohort and Chelsea’s Carly Telford joins the ranks.

Alex Greenwood has been named after consistently impressing with Manchester City, her selection no doubt a relief to supporters after she surprisingly did not make the cut for Team GB at the summer Olympics. Jess Carter makes her return to the national side, almost four years since making her singular appearance, after putting in a shift in Chelsea’s back four over recent months.

Arsenal centre-half Leah Williamson has been named as a midfielder on Wiegman’s initial list. This could be due to the number of injuries sustained to England’s regular midfield contingency; however, many have long desired Williamson’s skillset in a higher position and this may well be the right time to experiment. Manchester United’s Lucy Staniforth and Katie Zelem have both been recalled and join Williamson in midfield.

Forward Ebony Salmon is possibly one of the most exciting names to feature in Wiegman’s squad. The youngster has made quite the impression in the National Women’s Soccer League and has registered five goals since joining Racing Louisville in June.

After reproving her attacking prowess in pre-season and setting the pitch alight in their league opener, Arsenal’s Beth Mead is also back in the fold. Established internationals Nikita Parris, Fran Kirby and Ellen White join Mead upfront.

Regulars Ellie Roebuck, Lucy Bronze, Jordan Nobbs, Keira Walsh and Chloe Kelly all miss out on the squad through injury

The Lionesses will kick off their first game under new management against North Macedonia at 7pm on Friday 17th September at St. Mary’s Stadium. The match will be broadcast live on ITV (channel to be confirmed).

Full squad -

GK: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Sandy MacIver (Everton), Carly Telford (Chelsea)

DF: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Rachel Daly (Houston Dash), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Steph Houghton (Manchester City), Esme Morgan (Manchester City), Demi Stokes (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)

Midfielders: Jill Scott (Manchester City), Lucy Staniforth (Manchester United), Georgia Stanway (Manchester City), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Katie Zelem (Manchester United)

Forwards: Bethany England (Chelsea), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Nikita Parris (Arsenal), Ebony Salmon (Racing Louisville), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Ellen White (Manchester City)