Sarina’s selection stew! England’s Euro-winning team has been hit by injuries and retirements leaving Wiegman with plenty of dilemmas going into this World Cup

Sarina Wiegman named the same starting XI for every game at last summer’s European Championship but 12 months on the Lionesses look a little different.

Injuries and retirements mean there will be at least four different players lining up for England’s opening World Cup game against Haiti on Saturday.

Captain and centre back Leah Williamson is missing through an anterior cruciate ligament injury, as is Euros Golden Boot winner Beth Mead, while Fran Kirby is also ruled out with a knee problem. The Lionesses all-time leading goalscorer, Ellen White, retired after the Euros, meaning there are three places to fill in the attacking areas.

While Mary Earps is nailed on for the goalkeeper spot, there are several other positions in defence that are yet to be determined. 

With just days to go until England’s first game, Mail Sport looks at the dilemmas facing their manager.

England manager Sarina Wiegman has several selection dilemmas ahead of the World Cup

Wiegman named the same starting XI in every game as England won the Euros last year

There are problems to solve now, however, with Leah Williamson (left, injured) and Ellen White (right, retired) among those that need replacing

DEFENCE

Alongside Earps, the other certainty in the defensive line is that Lucy Bronze will start at right back. Bronze, who helped Barcelona win the Champions League last month, is the most experienced player in the squad, with this being her third World Cup.

Who makes up the rest of the back four is unclear. Wiegman is hopeful that stand-in captain Millie Bright will be fit in time after making her long-awaited return from injury in a warm-up game against Canada last week.

Bright had previously not played since March after undergoing knee surgery in April. But with the match played behind closed doors and media not permitted entry, it is unknown how many minutes the centre back completed.

If Bright is not ready for Haiti, Manchester City defender Esme Morgan will likely be her replacement. Morgan, who was injured during the Euros, has just five senior caps but started the friendly against Portugal on July 1 in Bright’s absence.

Lucy Bronze is the one certainty for England in defence as England’s most experienced player

Manchester City’s Alex Greenwood had been expected to fill the other central spot but Wiegman opted to play her at left back against Portugal. Greenwood is England’s only left-footed defender and started her career there, but has transitioned into a centre half in the last two years.

Jess Carter of Chelsea, meanwhile, can play anywhere across the back four. Wiegman could yet start Greenwood in the middle and play Carter on the left, which is what she did against Brazil and Australia in April.

Chelsea’s Niamh Charles, who has been given the No 3 shirt, is another option at left back but has slightly less international experience.

Rachel Daly started every game of the Euros at left back but has always been a striker at club level. White’s retirement coupled with Daly’s prolific form for Aston Villa has seen Wiegman use the 31-year-old as a forward and it seems unlikely she will revert back to defender, unless injuries necessitate it.

Stand-in captain Millie Bright will hope to be fit for her side’s opening game against Haiti 

THE NO 10 ROLE

Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway form the undisputed central midfield partnership, but there are a number of players battling for the position in front of them.

Ella Toone was one of the ‘super subs’ during the Euros and would replace Kirby in the No 10 role around the hour mark. The forward scored in the quarter-final against Spain and in the final against Germany and looked to have cemented a starting place ahead of this summer.

But Toone was substituted at half-time against Portugal and is still finding her best form after a gruelling season with Manchester United. Wiegman could instead opt to play Lauren James in the hole. James was given her debut in the Lionesses’ first game after the Euros win and is clearly rated highly by Wiegman. The forward had a strong start to the WSL season and was named England’s player of the tournament at the Arnold Clark Cup in February, before fading towards the end of the domestic campaign.

James has primarily played out wide for England but looked at home in the middle in the second half against Portugal.

Ella Toone is finding her best form after a grueling season with Manchester United

Lauren James, rated highly by Wiegman, could step in to play in the No 10 role from the start

WINGERS

Manchester City’s Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp are also fighting for the wide positions. Kelly, who scored the winning goal in the Euros final, had a slow start to the season but finished strongly.

Hemp did not quite reach the heights of her 2021-2022 campaign but is one of the best wingers in the world on her day.

Kelly has primarily been used as an impact sub by Wiegman and looked lively when she came off the bench against Portugal. 

Hemp has started the majority of Wiegman’s matches and it would be a surprise not to see her name on the team sheet.

CENTRE FORWARD 

The battle for the No 9 spot seems to be a straight shootout between Alessia Russo and Daly.

Like Toone, Russo was a super sub at the Euros — with four goals in six games off the bench. White’s retirement after the tournament seemed to be the perfect time for Russo to take on the mantle, but few could have predicted Daly to have such a prolific season. She scored 22 goals in 22 games for Villa.

Alessio Russo appeared to be the natural successor to White having enjoyed a successful Euros off the bench

Rachel Daly, however, enjoyed a prolific season with Aston Villa, scoring 22 goals in 22 games

Daly has been handed the No 9 shirt while Russo will wear 23. But given the latter has worn that number throughout her playing career, it is difficult to read too much into the significance.

Russo is perhaps more of a natural impact sub than Daly. Wiegman may be tempted to start Daly, hoping she tires out the opposition defence before bringing an explosive Russo off the bench.

Bethany England is the other option but it seems unlikely Wiegman will turn to her. She was an unused member of the Euros squad and was left out of the last three camps before the World Cup, with Wiegman bringing her back into the fold due to her impressive form for Tottenham.

The forward scored 12 goals in as many WSL games after joining Spurs in January but was the only outfield player not to feature in either warm-up game.