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Steph Houghton leads England’s World Cup squad but Izzy Christiansen left out

The Lyon midfielder Izzy Christiansen has been left out of Phil Neville’s England 23-women squad for the World Cup after failing to recover fully from an ankle injury.

Neville’s squad was revealed one by one on Wednesday by various celebrities. Prince William started by announcing the captain Steph Houghton, and among those who followed were Emma Watson, Raheem Sterling, David Beckham and Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

Christiansen, who joined Lyon from Manchester City in the summer, sustained her injury during England’s 3-0 defeat of Japan at the SheBelieves Cup and required surgery.

Lyon tweeted a video on Monday of the 27-year-old taking part in individual training for first time since her operation but the midfielder has been deemed too big a risk for the finals.

Other notable absentees are the Orlando Pride forward Chioma Ubogagu and Manchester City’s 19-year-old goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck. They have dropped out of the 25-strong squad that took part in friendlies against Canada and Spain at the start of April.

Roebuck has shared goalkeeper duties with the experienced Karen Bardsley – who is in the squad – at City this season, with the former having played 16 games in all competitions and the latter 17, primarily in the cups.

The 34-year-old Bardsley – who saved two penalties in City’s Continental Cup final shootout victory against Arsenal – is joined on the goalkeeper list by Wolfsburg’s Mary Earps and Chelsea’s Carly Telford, neither of whom are regular starters for their clubs.

Two members of Arsenal’s title-winning team, the 22-year-old centre-back Leah Williamson and 23-year-old forward Beth Mead, who has three goals from five caps in 2019, are included.

Manchester City provide eight members of the squad – more than any other club – including the PFA young player of the year, Georgia Stanway, who scored in City’s 3-0 FA Cup final defeat of West Ham on Saturday.

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May 7, 2019

Birmingham’s Lucy Staniforth, who scored England’s opener against Japan in the US, keeps her place and Reading’s Jade Moore, who returned to action in January having suffered a serious ankle injury at the start of November, is also included.

Neville said: “I want to congratulate all of the players in our squad. I must also thank those who just missed out for all of their efforts. We would not be in this position without them – they have played a big part in our World Cup journey and I know they will be our biggest supporters this summer.

“Picking a squad is never easy but I believe in this group and I know they will be ready to help us perform at our very best at the finals. We know what we are capable of achieving.”

England play Denmark, ranked 17th in the world, at Walsall’s Banks’s Stadium, on 25 May before a World Cup send-off at Brighton’s Amex Stadium against New Zealand, ranked 19th, on 1 June.

The Lionesses face Scotland in their Group D opener in Nice on 9 June.

Quick guide

England’s World Cup squad

23-woman squad for World Cup in France

Goalkeepers Karen Bardsley (Manchester City), Mary Earps (Wolfsburg), Carly Telford (Chelsea)

Defenders Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Lyon), Rachel Daly (Houston Dash), Alex Greenwood (Manchester United), Steph Houghton (Manchester City), Abbie McManus (Manchester City), Demi Stokes (Manchester City), Leah Williamson (Arsenal)

Midfielders Karen Carney (Chelsea), Jade Moore (Reading), Jill Scott (Manchester City), Lucy Staniforth (Birmingham City), Georgia Stanway (Manchester City), Keira Walsh (Manchester City)

Forwards Toni Duggan (Barcelona), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Nikita Parris (Manchester City), Jodie Taylor (Seattle Reign), Ellen White (Birmingham City) –

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