Football 
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Horse Racing Lianne Sanderson: Beth Mead will be England's biggest loss
The Women’s World Cup kicks off on Thursday, while England starts their tournament on Saturday against Haiti, and we talked to former England international, Lianne Sanderson.
Sanderson was part of England’s World Cup squad in 2007 and 2015, earning a third-place medal in the latter.
We talked to the former Chelsea, Arsenal and Juventus player who shared her expectations for England, key players and how England should cope with all the injuries.
In this article:
- Beth Mead will be the biggest loss
- Lucy Bronze and Mary Earps are key players
- Alessia Russo will be under pressure because of Rachel Daly
- Denmark is the toughest opponent in an easy group
Beth Mead will be the biggest loss
England has been struggling with a lot of injuries leading up to this World Cup and Sanderson said in a previous interview that England would have been her favourite if all players were ready, however Beth Mead will be England’s biggest loss according to her.
“I think from a footballing perspective England will miss Beth Mead the most. Obviously having your captain out like Leah Willaimson is massive. Her and Fran Kirby.”
“Unfortunately Fran’s played with injuries over the last two or three seasons and the team has had to adapt.”
“She had a good Euros but they’ve adapted to her not being there. Hopefully she can get back in it. I think Beth Mead will be the biggest loss in an attacking sense.”
Even though Beth Mead will be a big loss, Sanderson has a huge belief in other players who could step up during the World Cup.
“Having said that, you’ve got players like Lauren James who have really taken the opportunity. In the Arnold Clark Cup she was player of the tournament and it was a breakout tournament for her.”
“There are other players that can step in. I think Leah Willimson’s leadership will be missed in and around the changing room.”
“I don’t know if she has plans to fly out but she probably wants to be there but also wants to rehab her knee I’m sure she will go out there at some point.”
Lucy Bronze and Mary Earps are key players
Two of the players that Sanderson expects to get a key role at the World Cup are Lucy Bronze and Mary Earps, who according to her are respectively England’s best player and the best goalkeeper in the world.
“I think players like Lucy Bronze have been there and done that. Won everything that she could have won.”
“She’s a player that leads by example and I’m not quite sure how she didn’t get the captaincy when it was available. I think she’s our best player. Especially in the defence.”
“I think it will be a shared thing despite the fact Millie Bright has been named the captain “It’s still yet to be determined how fit and available she’s going to be.”
“Mary Earps. What a story she’s had. She’s an example of somebody that if you show resilience and never give up anything is possible.”
“She only ended up being number one because of Ellie Roebuck getting that injury, who was the number one until Elllie took the opportunity.”
“Now she’s the best goalkeeper in the world. I’m really happy for Mary. She’s had a fantastic story where she had to go to Wolfsburg and all over the world to try and find her way. Now she’s found it.”
“Some players lead by their football and some by communication. Leah Williamson does both.”
Alessia Russo will be under pressure because of Rachel Daly
Alessia Rusio is definitely a player to watch throughout the tournament and the Englishwoman will have a lot of eyes on her, which can lead to a big pressure according to Sanderson, however she feels certain that she can handle it.
“Players like Alessia Russo and Ella Toone, their role has changed on the team significantly, since Ellen White retired.”
“These players are ready, they played very well at the Euros and they’re ready to start now.”
“The only reason why there might be some pressure on Alessia Russo is based upon how well Rachel Daly’s done since she’s come back to the WSL. If Daly had not been top scorer, in the running for player of the year, I think there wouldn’t be as much pressure on Russo.”
“If Russo starts in the first game, against Portugal she didn’t but Daly did, it will be almost like, ‘how do you leave the league’s top scorer on the bench’, and if it backfires against a better team, then what do you do?”
“I think for Alessia Russo, the pressure will be there. I think she knows that. But it’s good to have competition for places. The USWNT have had it for years and that’s why they continue to push each other every single day in training and those are the standards.”
“I think Russo can handle the pressure and it’s a fantastic signing for Arsenal. I’m disappointed for Man Utd women because they were kind of building, FA Cup final, in the title race and now they’ve lost Batlle to Barcelona, Russo to Arsenal.”
“The fact that Arsenal have wrapped up Russo’s signing before the World Cup, is massive, because she could’ve gone anywhere.”
Denmark is the toughest opponent in an easy group
Sanderson expects England to get through the group stages quite comfortably and points out Denmark as the toughest opponent. She also warns people to be aware of the development of the smaller nations in Women’s football as they have raised the bar and might be able to make a few upsets during the tournament.
“Yeah we always expect games against Scandinavian nations to be difficult. Denmark, Sweden, even Finland when I was in the 2009 Euros, that was a difficult QF.”
“I think England should win the group pretty comfortably. I expect us to beat Haiti, I expect us to beat China and I expect us to beat Denmark.”
“Denmark will be the toughest game of the group. I think Sarina Wiegman will know that.”
“Opening up against Haiti I think hopefully that means someone like Millie Bright and some players if they’re not ready, fitness wise, they can then get a rest and continue to develop their fitness.”
“But we saw the other day when Zambia beat Germany! I found it hard to believe it because these things just don’t happen. They happen in the men’s game but in the women’s game, I cannot remember an upset like that.”
“So I think that has made people in their group, you look at Group C with Costa Rica, Japan, Zambia and Spain, they’re probably thinking that game was a foregone conclusion but now, no.”
