26 February 2020

England U21 squad named for double-header against France

England U21 head coach Rehanne Skinner has named her squad for their double-header with France.

The two national teams are battling it out on March 5 and 8 in two friendly matches at St George's Park.

Four Everton stars are among the players selected, with Megan Finnigan, Esme Morgan, Hannah Cain and Taylor Hinds making the team sheet.

Two of their Merseyside rivals have also been selected - Liverpool duo Amy Rodgers and Niamh Charles.

Grace Fisk, Hannah Hampton and Alessia Russo are all unavailable as they have been called up by Phil Neville for the senior squad's SheBelieves Cup campaign.

Skinner said: “This is a great opportunity for the players to test themselves against strong opposition and to show they have the ability to compete against one of the top nations in Europe.

“We want to develop the players’ ability to handle high-pressure matches and thrive. The purpose of this age group is to continue to expose players to experiences that will help them transition and bridge the gap for the next step. 

“Recently we’ve seen multiple under-21 players receive a senior call up by Phil Neville which is a fantastic opportunity for those players and also shows the other U21 players the strong link to our senior Lionesses and something for them to aspire to.”

Full squad: Emily Ramsey, Charlotte Clarke, Megan Finnigan, Niamh Cashin, Lotte Wubben Moy, Esme Morgan, Anna Patten, Poppy Patinson, Mayumi Pacheco, Taylor Hinds, Connie Scofield, Amy Rodgers, Aimee Palmer, Ella Toone, Chloe Peplow, Emily Syme, Rianna Dean, Niamh Charles, Charlie Wellings and Hannah Cain.

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