Key events
Sarina Wiegman speaks to ITV. “We expect that we will have the ball a lot and be close to the final third of the opponent … I hope Fran Kirby brings us calmness, the final pass, patience … Niamh Charles has developed very well, she played a good game on Friday, she is very attacking … the biggest thing for us is in possession, final third, being even more patient, finding the right pass, have the right connections … just a little more to make goals out of the chances we create … we approach every game to win … we want to reach the final and win the Nations League so we want to win this game … we will be very motivated.”
England make one change from Friday night. Fran Kirby is back and replaces Ella Toone, who drops to the bench.
Belgium make two changes. Jassina Blom and Sari Kees return from injury so Feli Delacauw and Jody Vangheluwe drop to the bench.
The teams
Belgium: Evrard, Kees, Deloose, De Neve, De Caigny, Cayman, Vanhaevermaet, Detruyer, Missipo, Wullaert, Blom.
Subs: Lemey, Lichtfus, Philtjens, Vangheluwe, Van Belle, Littel, Iliano, Delacauw, Daniels, Wijnants, Fon, Janssens.
England: Earps, Bronze, Charles, Bright, Greenwood, Walsh, Kelly, Stanway, Kirby, Hemp, Russo.
Subs: Roebuck, Hampton, Keating, Carter, Wubben-Moy, Morgan, Le Tissier, Zelem, Toone, Clinton, Daly, Park.
Preamble
A big test awaits England in Leuven tonight. Group A1 currently looks like this …
Netherlands 6pts (+4)
England 6pts (+1)
Belgium 4pts (0)
Scotland 1pt (-5)
… so while Sarina Wiegman’s side aren’t yet in must-win territory, they don’t have too much in the way of wriggle room. The Lionesses have yet to hit the heights in this Nations League campaign, doing just enough to squeak wins against Scotland and Belgium, and going down to a careless defeat against the Dutch. “We want to improve on our game,” says Wiegman, and they may need to against a Belgian side who impressed in Leicester last Friday and have already seen off the group leaders at home. With the Netherlands expected to see off the Scots at Hampden this evening, any dropped points will crank up the pressure on England ahead of December’s double-headed denouement against the Dutch and Scotland. Big test tonight all right, then. Kick off is at 7.30pm GMT. It’s on!