Nikita Parris in England Euro 2017 women squad but Eniola Aluko misses out - BBC Sport
England Women's head coach Mark Sampson includes four players who are set to make their tournament debuts in his 23-player squad for Euro 2017.
Last updated on .From the section Women's Football

Four players are set to make their tournament debuts for England Women at Euro 2017 after being named in head coach Mark Sampson's 23-strong squad.

The quartet are Manchester City defender Demi Stokes, midfielder Isobel Christiansen and striker Nikita Parris plus Chelsea's Millie Bright.

Alex Greenwood, Fran Kirby and Jo Potter are also in, despite currently being out with long-term injuries.

Sampson's squad includes 19 players from the 2015 World Cup, and there are no players aged under 23.

"An important part with any major tournament is you've got to be able to handle pressure. This team is experienced in doing that," said Sampson.

"We go into the tournament in a good place. The players are growing in belief that we can win the big games."

Chelsea striker Kirby has been out for much of the last year with a knee injury but has returned to training.

Her team-mate and fellow forward Aluko was last season's top goal scorer in the Women's Super League but has again been overlooked.

She last played for England on 12 April last year against Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Striker Daly plays for Houston Dash in the United States and scored on her England debut against Serbia last year but has not been picked.

The tournament, which starts on 16 July, will take place in the Netherlands and England's first match is against Scotland on 19 July.

Sampson has named his squad more than three months before Euro 2017 because he recently said form "isn't a priority" and "we've worked with our player pool for three years now and are clear on the right players we want".

Some of England's players are currently representing their clubs in the FA Cup, with the one-off Women's Super League Spring Series kicking-off on 22 April.

That will serve as a transitional tournament due to the traditional WSL season being moved to a September start.

'If you get complacent, you won't play'

Manchester City defender Lucy Bronze says she is sympathetic to those who have missed out with the Spring Series season still to come but has questioned how many big games there are to come which will emulate the Euros.

She also denies there will be complacency among the squad now they know their places are secure.

"If you get complacent between now and the Euros, you won't play. Even I couldn't tell you England's starting XI," she said.

"Mark likes to pick specific people for specific games and if you become complacent in the squad, you're knocking your chances of playing."

Following the Euro 2017 opener against Scotland, England face Spain in Breda on 23 July and Portugal in Tilburg on 27 July.

The Lionesses - who finished third at the 2015 World Cup - were unbeaten in eight qualifying games but have won just one of five outings, including defeats by France and Germany at the SheBelieves Cup.