England standby Lucy Staniforth hopes she has done enough to give boss Sarina Wiegman a future selection headache after scrapping her holiday plans to join the Lionesses for just over a fortnight in Australia.
The Aston Villa midfielder had already planned an Ibiza holiday with her mum when she learned she would need to pack her bags for a completely different destination, joining Manchester United defender Maya Le Tissier as one of two back-ups for Wiegman’s World Cup squad Down Under.
Sunday marked a bittersweet morning for both women, who have trained with the squad since mid-June but knew their time with the team had come to a close after England were deemed fully fit ahead of their 1-0 victory over Haiti.
Staniforth, who was called in to replace injured standby Jess Park, said: “In the back of my mind coming in, you want to take every opportunity you can to put yourself in Sarina’s plans and I still feel like I have got so much to contribute to the group.
“I just hope I can continue in the form I was in last season, and I am looking forward to the next internationals. Hopefully I can be in with a shout of being in the squad because I’m not finished yet. I’ve still got so much more that I want to achieve and contribute to this team. I would love to play a part in the future.
“I think the overriding feeling right now is a little bit of sadness and pride, I guess. I am sad to be leaving the group, the girls, the tournament. It has been a wonderful experience but, ultimately I am really proud of myself.
“It is a different position to step into – drop your whole life and everything, and jump at a chance to come and work with the group. I am just really proud that I came at it with a great attitude and hopefully contributed to the team.
“I didn’t want to come into an environment and leave it and no one notice that you have gone. You always want to try and make a mark. Whether that is on the training pitch or being a good team-mate and I am obviously happy that Sarina has noticed that I have managed to do both.”
During one special training session on the Sunshine Coast, Staniforth was presented with her England legacy cap by Paddy McGroarty, a member of the 1972 squad now living in Melbourne.
Staniforth said that while “the ship has sailed” on the Ibiza holiday with her mum, she plans on making up for the lost leisure time by turning tourist with Le Tissier before both head home to the UK to get ready for their club seasons.
The PA news agency understands that the Republic of Ireland’s training players Sophie Whitehouse, Harriet Scott and Jamie Finn will in contrast remain with their group for the remainder of the tournament despite the deadline for their call-up having passed.
England staff have booked the departing standby duo a trip to walk across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge as a ‘thank you’ for their contribution, which included providing valuable competition and back-up in training.
Le Tissier, 21, said: “I think obviously when the call came that I wasn’t part of the 23, I could have taken it in both ways – either in a negative way or think I’ve got an opportunity to go and be a part of the team. Even though it was really hard to come in the first day, I wanted to make the most of it.
“We have not felt like outsiders at all. The staff and Sarina have been great with me, I have never once felt I wasn’t part of the team (and) I have loved working with everyone here.”
Should England reach a first World Cup final on August 20, they would have just over a month between the trophy match in Sydney and their September meeting with Scotland to open the Nations League, which also acts as a qualifying tournament for next summer’s Olympics in Paris.
Le Tissier added: “That is something to try and aim for if I can. They will be big games.”
Klopp in awe of 'incredible' Emery ahead of Villa Park showdown
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has praised the "incredible job" Unai Emery has done during his time at Aston Villa ahead of Monday's contest between the sides.
Emery guided Villa into the Europa Conference League in his first campaign in charge, where they made it to the semi-final stage.
The Villans' Euro campaign was ended by Olympiacos on Thursday, but they are one win from securing a Champions League spot for next term.
Emery's men, who lost 1-0 at Brighton last time out in the league, can get themselves over the line with a game to spare when Liverpool visit Villa Park next up.
"He's done an incredible job," Klopp said. "Emery is one of the best we have in the business, 100 per cent. Wherever he was, he had success.
"Sometimes clubs were not ready to wait for it, maybe. If you look back probably these clubs would have made different decisions.
"The job he is doing is absolutely exceptional. We all know how important it is for a club to qualify for the Champions League, how difficult it is."
Liverpool enter the contest third in the Premier League, 11 points better off than Villa, with their title hopes now officially over.
While there may not be a great deal on the line for the Reds on the face of it, this will be Klopp's final away game as Liverpool manager.
The German is departing after next week's home match with Wolves, and Villa skipper John McGinn says he will be missed.
"The league has been very lucky to have Klopp," McGinn said. "He has obviously got an identity and a really strong team. He will be missed.
"I think everyone knows what we think of our own manager. We are very lucky to have him and his staff. They work endlessly to make us better."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aston Villa - Ollie Watkins
Watkins has failed to score in back-to-back games in all competitions for Villa, with his blank against Brighton leaving him one short of the 20-goal mark in the Premier League this season.
The last Villa player to reach that mark in a top-flight campaign was Peter Withe in 1980-81.
The omens are certainly good, as only against Brighton (six) - ironically - has Watkins scored more goals in the competition than he has against Liverpool (five).
Liverpool - Mohamed Salah
Salah returned to the Liverpool starting line-up last weekend and both scored and assisted in the 4-2 win over Tottenham.
The Egyptian has now both scored and assisted in four different Premier League games this season - only Chelsea's Cole Palmer (five) has done so more often.
Across his entire Premier League career, Salah has done so 31 times in total, with that a tally only Wayne Rooney (36) and Thierry Henry (32) can better.
MATCH PREDICTION - LIVERPOOL WIN
Villa lost 1-0 to Brighton in their most recent league game, but they have not lost successive Premier League matches since May last year.
Liverpool were 4-2 winners against Tottenham last time out, meanwhile, and have lost just one of their past 26 league games played in May.
This is a fixture the Reds tend to do well in, however, as they have lost just once and won 10 times in their past 12 league games with Villa.
Indeed, Liverpool have won more Premier League away games against Villa than they have any other opponents (16).
Historically speaking, meanwhile, Liverpool have lost only one of their eight final away league games under Klopp, last doing so in 2018.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Aston Villa - 27.1%
Draw - 27.7%
Liverpool - 45.2%
West Brom 0-0 Southampton: Hawthorns draw sets up intriguing second leg
West Brom and Southampton played out a goalless draw at the Hawthorns on Sunday in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.
Both teams had plenty of chances, but a combination of poor finishing and impressive goalkeeping from the Saints' Alex McCarthy and the Baggies' Alex Palmer ensured the tie remains finely poised for the return leg at St Mary's Stadium on Friday.
Roared on by a loud Hawthorns, the hosts started well but were unable to capitalise, and it was Southampton who went closest in the first half as Kyle Walker-Peters smashed a deflected effort wide, while Palmer kept out Flynn Downes' shot.
West Brom rallied, though, and had a golden opportunity to take the lead with 33 minutes on the clock as Grady Diangana nodded Tom Fellows' cross goalwards, only for McCarthy to get across and make a brilliant stop.
The tempo slowed somewhat after the interval, but the game burst into life again with just over 10 minutes to play, as McCarthy denied Diangana before substitute Ross Stewart lashed goalwards up the other end, only to see his shot somehow kept out by the wrong-footed Palmer.
Both sides pressed for a precious goal late on, but neither could break the deadlock and it remains all to play for at St Mary's to see who will face either Leeds United or Norwich City at Wembley on May 26.
Data debrief
There was certainly attacking endeavour on display at the Hawthorns, but neither side could find the back of the net despite the teams combining for 1.76 xG (expected goals), split 1.03 for Southampton and 0.73 for the hosts.
With Norwich and Leeds drawing 0-0 in their first leg earlier on Sunday, it is the first time since 2011 that the first leg of both Championship play-off semi-finals have ended goalless.
Manchester United Women 4-0 Tottenham Women: Garcia double secures Red Devils' first FA Cup triumph
Manchester United Women banished last year's FA Cup demons to lift the trophy for the first time in their history after smashing Tottenham Women 4-0 at Wembley Stadium.
United suffered a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea Women in the final of this competition last term but exacted revenge after Lucia Garcia scored twice in a comfortable win on Sunday.
Ella Toone's eye-catching strike in the first half set the tone before a goal for Rachel Williams and Garcia's double added gloss to a convincing scoreline, despite Beth England hitting the crossbar for Spurs.
Marc Skinner's side dominated the opening half as Millie Turner saw a header cleared off the line by Martha Thomas, while Williams headed over.
However, there was no stopping Toone on the stroke of half-time as she exchanged passes with Lisa Naalsund before arrowing a rocketed right-footed finish into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Further punishment followed for an underwhelming Tottenham after the interval when Williams headed down from Katie Zelem's free-kick to double United's lead in the 54th minute.
Goalkeeper Becky Spencer then handed Skinner's team more joy just three minutes later, mindlessly playing straight to Garcia, who slotted into an empty net.
Garcia capped the scoring after 74 minutes, receiving an offload from Turner before curling a delightful finish past the powerless Spencer as United secured their first major trophy in club history.
Data Debrief: United ease pain of last year
United fell short last year against Chelsea but continued their impressive record against Spurs here, extending to 13 games unbeaten against Tottenham since being founded in 2018.
This defeat will remain painful for Spurs in their first FA Cup final appearance, also ending a seven-game undefeated streak since losing to rivals Arsenal at the start of March.
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