Mary Earps snubbed again! Hannah Hampton keeps No.1 spot for vital Lionesses Euro 2025 qualifier against Sweden as two key players return to starting XI

Earps picked up a hip injury in the Lionesses' last international break, limping off just a few minutes into her 50th appearance for her country in late May. That paved the way for Hampton to start a few days later and she has kept her place in this July window too, chosen by Wiegman for Friday's game against Ireland and Tuesday's clash with Sweden despite Earps being fit to return to the squad.

Earps has been England's No.1 throughout Wiegman's tenure, which began back in September 2021, and showed her world-class qualities as the Lionesses won Euro 2022 and reached the final of the 2023 Women's World Cup. However, Hampton has been in good form for Chelsea this year and has been pushing hard to compete for the No.1 shirt with her country as a result, with this yet another opportunity for her to stake her claim for it ahead of Euro 2025.

Wiegman was asked before this big match whether or not the goalkeeper chosen to play would have the edge in that battle to be England's No.1, but she played down such suggestions.

"I think that's a little bit too early," she replied. "There's a lot of competitiveness going on in the goalkeeper group, but also in the team and the outfield players. There's a decision to make for tomorrow and then we don't see each other for three months, so then we'll see the players go back to club and they have to keep performing there, and then we'll take it from there."

Asked about her decision to stick with Hampton ahead of Tuesday's game, Wiegman told ITV: "The [goalkeeper] competition has been going on for a while now. Hannah Hampton came in [in May], of course, because of the injury to Mary but also because of the competition. She's done well and we kept her in the line-up."

While Wiegman didn't make changes in between the sticks for the game against Sweden, she did make three tweaks to the team that beat Ireland 2-1 on Friday night. Lucy Bronze, Ella Toone and Millie Bright all returned to the XI, with Maya Le Tissier, Alex Greenwood and Jess Park making way.

The Lionesses must avoid defeat to Sweden in Gothenburg if they want to qualify automatically for Euro 2025. If they lose, to an opponent which has to win, they will have to participate in two rounds of play-offs in a bid to secure their spot instead.