Toone and Kelly miss out on Lionesses squad

What the report says

England have left Manchester United midfielder Ella Toone and Arsenal forward Chloe Kelly out of their squad for this month’s Women’s World Cup qualifying matches, according to BBC Sport. The 23-player group also excludes Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones and Arsenal pair Lotte Wubben-Moy and Taylor Hinds.

Captain Leah Williamson is back after missing England’s June fixtures, while Chelsea midfielder Lexi Potter has received her first senior call-up. BBC Sport says the 20-year-old has impressed in the Women’s Super League, where she has started three of Chelsea’s opening four matches. Another notable inclusion is uncapped midfielder Erica Meg Parkinson, who has recently joined North Carolina Courage. Niamh Charles, Freya Godfrey and Grace Fisk are also in the squad.

The omissions come amid a squad refresh as England prepare to face Greece over two legs, first in Crete on Friday 9 October and then in Leicester on Tuesday 13 October. If England win the tie, they move into the next round of play-offs, with a route towards qualification for next summer’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil. In background, Toone and Kelly are among the more experienced players in the pool, so their absence underlines the competition for places under the current setup.