Leah Williamson returns as England squad announced for 2023 Arnold Clark Cup, Sarina Wiegman discusses Beth Mead

Leah Williamson will return to international duty as Sarina Wiegman announced the England squad for the Arnold Clark Cup.

The captain is back, along with Chelsea’s Fran Kirby, after both players missed out on the last fixtures in November due to injury.

Laura Coombs signed a new two-year deal to stay at Manchester City and has also got her first England call up since 2020.

Her team-mate Esme Morgan is also in the squad, as are a whole host of inexperienced players including Maya Le Tissier, Jessica Park, Katie Robinson and Emily Ramsey.

Beth England, Jordan Nobbs and Lucy Staniforth all changed clubs over the January transfer window and have not got a place in the squad.

“They’re competing for [England] selection,” said Wiegman. “They’re in a good place. They’ve moved to clubs and are playing a lot more.

“But you can’t control what your competitors do. That’s the situation they’re in right now.

“We can see where they’re at, how they’re improving and then we look at what their competitors are doing, and we make a choice.

“They’re getting minutes, it makes their position better, but it doesn’t guarantee they’ll be selected.”

Euro 2022 top goalscorer Beth Mead is still recovering from a ruptured ACL and is out of action until June.

It’s far from ideal preparation for Mead ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which takes place from July 20 to August 20.

Wiegman says she has been in contact with Mead but thinks it’s too early to say if the 27-year-old won’t be part of her World Cup plans.

“I just want her to be OK,” Wiegman added. “She’s doing well, she really wants to make it. First, get settled and we’ll see from there.

“For now I’m not going to push it. She’s had so many things going on in her life so we will see. We’ll see how her recovery goes and then sit down but I don’t want to look forward too much now because she’s just come from a very hard situation.”

The round-robin format will see the Lionesses play South Korea on 16 February in Milton Keynes, Italy on 19 February in Coventry and Belgium on February 22 in Bristol.

All the teams will face each other once and whoever tops the table will win the competition.

England Arnold Clark Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Mary Earps, Sandy MacIver, Emily Ramsey, Ellie Roebuck.

Defenders: Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Niamh Charles, Rachel Daly, Alex Greenwood, Maya Le Tissier, Leah Williamson, Lotte Wubben-Moy.

Midfielders: Laura Coombs, Fran Kirby, Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh, Katie Zelem.

Forwards: Lauren Hemp, Lauren James, Chloe Kelly, Jessica Park, Alessia Russo, Katie Robinson, Ebony Salmon.