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Erik ten Hag has had little choice but to drop the French defender, who has looked a shadow of his former self this season

“Manchester United is one of the most iconic clubs in world football and the chance to come here and play in the Premier League is something I couldn’t turn down. I want to make an impact here and I will give everything to become part of this club’s illustrious history.”

Raphael Varane sounded like a man motivated to add another trophy-laden entry to his illustrious career when he was unveiled as a United player in August 2021. The club invested £40 million ($49m) in the 28-year-old after his decision to reject a new contract at Real Madrid, which felt like a shrewd piece of business at the time.

After 10 seasons, 360 appearances, four Champions League titles and three La Liga crowns, Varane left Santiago Bernabeu as a Real legend. But the Spanish giants haven't missed him. Los Blancos stormed to a league and European double in their first season without Varane, who must have secretly regretted leaving after a disastrous debut year at Old Trafford. He struggled to adapt to life in English football and battled niggling injuries as United fell to sixth in the Premier League.

The appointment of Erik ten Hag sparked a return to form for Varane in 2022-23, though, as he forged a formidable partnership with new signing Lisandro Martinez. That solid foundation at the back was crucial as the Red Devils returned to the Champions League places while also ending a five-year trophy drought with success in the Carabao Cup.

Despite entering his 30s, Varane was still proving he could deliver at the highest level and deservedly had a guaranteed place in Ten Hag's starting XI. But in the space of just a few months, that dynamic has completely changed.

The World Cup winner has suddenly dropped to fourth in United's centre-back pecking order, and can't even get in the team ahead of Jonny Evans – the 35-year-old warhorse who re-joined the club on a surprise free transfer in the summer window. Varane doesn't have any cause to complain, either.

United now look like a more cohesive unit in Varane's absence, and it's difficult to see any way back for him. So what exactly has gone so wrong for the former Madrid talisman?

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  Maguire's revival

  When pressed on whether there is any internal issue with Varane that explains his recent omission from United's line-up, Ten Hag told reporters last week: "Absolutely not. It is about tactical reasons why I chose these partnerships. I think Harry [Maguire] and Jonny [Evans] did well. Last year, Harry didn't play a lot, so I was very happy with Rapha's performances. I have always been happy with his performance. But in this moment, Harry is playing very well and there is internal competition."

  Maguire's United career appeared to be all but over after he was stripped of his captaincy duties in the summer, but he turned down a transfer to West Ham because he still believed he had plenty to offer at Old Trafford. He's been proven right in recent weeks, with United finally stringing a few wins together after his return to the team in the right-sided centre-back slot.

  Ten Hag has always avoided playing Maguire and Varane together, and it was clear to see why after the latter was introduced as a substitute following an early injury to Evans in United's 4-3 defeat at Copenhagen in the Champions League. Yes, a controversial red card for Marcus Rashford put the visitors on the backfoot after going 2-0 up, but that was no excuse for United's complete capitulation at the back.

  With Martinez still recovering from surgery on a foot issue that has kept him out of action since September, Evans and Victor Lindelof have been playing ahead of Varane, who now has a real fight on his hands to usurp Maguire again. Ten Hag added: "The build-up is not that fluid when one of them is playing from the left centre-back position because I think Licha, obviously, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof, they are right-footed, but they can play really comfortably with their left and make the right angles, then you can construct a better formation where you can start to play."

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  'Cannot handle the pace'

  Even before Varane was dropped from Ten Hag's starting XI for United's first derby clash of the season against Manchester City, there were clear signs of decline in his game. "United have certain shortcomings," former United assistant coach Rene Meulensteen said in an interview with. "[Varane] cannot handle the pace. The Premier League is dynamic. Everything goes at 100 kilometres per hour."

  Varane has lost the turn of pace that made him so difficult to get past at Real, and he's not regularly winning physical duels anymore. He's also been caught out of position numerous times this season, which has allowed opposition forwards to get in behind far too easily.

  Even his technical abilities appear to be on the wane, with basic passes going astray and poor decision making costing United dearly when trying to build from the back. Varane's body is failing him, and the motivation levels that fuelled his initial switch to Old Trafford appear to have dropped to zero.

  It is also possible that, consciously or unconsciously, the former France international is hammering home a point he made about the risks of burnout during pre-season. Varane was baffled by the Premier League's new stoppage-time rules, which have served to extend a large number of matches up to and beyond the 100-minute mark.

  "From the managers and players, we have shared our concerns for many years now that there are too many games, the schedule is overcrowded, and it's at a dangerous level for players' physical and mental well-being," he wrote on social media. "Despite our previous feedback, they have now recommended for next season: longer games, more intensity, and less emotions to be shown by players. We just want to be in good condition on the pitch to give 100 percent to our club and fans. Why are our opinions not being heard?"

  It appears that Varane has taken his foot off the gas because his enthusiasm for the sport has been dampened irreversibly. He is playing like a man that has lost faith in a system that seemingly has very little regard for the wellbeing of the players.

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  'Feel like I'm suffocating'

  Varane first voiced his concerns over the increasing physical demands placed upon players after the 2022 World Cup, which saw France reach their second successive final – only to lose against a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina on penalties. The United star won his 93rd cap in that contest, but subsequently announced his retirement from international football, much to the frustration of Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps.

  "I gave everything, physically and mentally," Varane said when explaining his decision to . "But the very highest level is like a washing machine, you play all the time and you never stop. We have overloaded schedules and play non-stop. Right now, I feel like I’m suffocating and that [Varane] the player is gobbling up [Varane] the man."

  In the short-term, Varane appeared to benefit from the extra time off during international breaks, as he played a key role in United's impressive run at the start of the new year. However, a foot injury halted his momentum in the closing stages of the season, and he has yet to rediscover his best form.

  It's clear now that Varane made a mistake calling time on his France career so early. He might not have been happy with such a rigorous schedule, but that was helping him to maintain his rhythm and discipline. Most players only tend to walk away from the international stage when they are starting to think about hanging up their boots altogether.

  According to , Varane has accepted the fact he is no longer first-choice at United, which suggests that his mentality has indeed shifted. Varane's insatiable desire to win silverware never dwindled at the Bernabeu, and he held himself to the highest possible standards. Unfortunately for United, that version of Varane is long gone.

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  Saudi escape route

  With the January transfer window fast approaching, there is a genuine possibility that United could cut their losses on Varane. There is a clear difference in how he is approaching day-to-life at Old Trafford now compared to Maguire, who will be more determined than ever stay in the team.

  The England international has a burning desire to prove his critics wrong and leave a lasting legacy behind in Manchester. It remains to be seen whether he achieves that goal in the long-term, given the fact United have taken a step back as a collective under Ten Hag, but there are no question marks over his commitment.

  Varane simply cannot match his resurgent team-mate in that regard. Regular bench duty might well be damaging his ego, but he's more likely to jump ship than put in the hard graft required to regain Ten Hag's favour.

  A winter move to Saudi Arabia is reportedly a viable option, with Al-Nassr among the Pro League clubs considering a swoop for Varane. A reunion with former Real and United colleague Cristiano Ronaldo might well appeal to the Frenchman, along with a hefty upgrade on his current £300,000 weekly salary.

  Football in the Middle East is very much on the rise, with the likes of Karim Benzema, Neymar, N'Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino all having followed Ronaldo out of Europe in the summer window. Despite the addition of those star names, the standard of football in Saudi's top division is mediocre at best. The fixtures will still come thick and fast, particularly for Al-Nassr as they negotiate their way through the AFC Champions League, but Varane wouldn't be under nearly as much pressure to perform at his best consistently at Mrsool Park.

  He could start winding his career down properly in Saudi Arabia and earn a king's ransom that would set him up forever in retirement. It certainly wouldn't be a surprise if Varane is already considering the possibility, despite the fact he remains under contract at United until 2025.

Southampton have been linked with a move for Liverpool striker Divock Origi recently, and he could prove to be a superb addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, Southampton are one of several sides taking an interest in the Belgian this summer, with West Ham, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Rangers and Celtic also reportedly monitoring his situation at Anfield.

Although he is regarded as a cult hero at the Merseyside club for his brace in the memorable 4-0 win against Barcelona in the Champions League, as well as a late second in the win against Tottenham Hotspur in the final, he was a fringe option for the majority of last season and struggled on his rare appearances in Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Would Origi be a good signing for Southampton?

Origi has never really been able to produce consistently good form during his time at Liverpool, with Klopp rarely deviating from his front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.

The former Wolfsburg man’s playing time was limited even further last season following the arrival and subsequent good form of Diogo Jota, as he made just five starts last season in all competitions, with a further 10 appearances from the bench.

During his time on the pitch, he would manage no goals and just one assist, so it is no surprise to see him linked with a move away from Anfield this summer, in the hope that regular playing time elsewhere would help him rediscover his goalscoring touch.

The 26-year-old has truthfully never been prolific, with his best goalscoring season coming in the 2014/15 Ligue 1 campaign, as he scored eight goals for Lille in a loan spell, after moving from Les Dogues to the Reds the previous summer.

Since then, the £10.8m-rated striker has featured in 157 games for Liverpool, in which he has managed 35 goals and 14 assists, so would bring plenty of Premier League experience with him if he were to move to St Mary’s this summer.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-southampton-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read the latest Southampton transfer rumours and news!”]

Considering his contract is set to expire at the end of next season, it seems clear that he will leave Liverpool this summer, which suggests that Hasenhuttl would be able to bring him in for a fairly low fee, and he could add some much-needed squad depth in attack, challenging Danny Ings and Che Adams for a starting spot in the Austrian manager’s side.

After scoring an impressive brace against Everton in 2019, Phil Neville was full of praise for the forward, saying:

“He’s got a taste for the big games. He has made big contributions in big games.”

Therefore, Origi arguably deserves a chance to show what he can do when afforded regular opportunities in a Premier League side, and given the price of any potential deal, he could prove to be an ideal, affordable option for the Saints this summer, so vice-chairman Martin Semmens should definitely look at bringing him in.

And, in other news… Tom Leach shares Southampton update on CL regular, fans will be gutted

Barcelona want to give Frenkie de Jong a contract until the end of his career, but it remains to be seen if he will be willing to sign such a deal.

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• Barca desperate to keep midfielder
• Preparing remarkable contract offer

• May not be willing to sign

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  report that Barcelona hope to convince De Jong to commit his long-term future to the club with a deal that would essentially tie him to Barca for life. However, such a deal would involve a staggered wage agreement, with De Jong initially taking a two-year pay cut.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  His current contract ends in 2026 and he has been linked away previously. Man Utd have been linked in each of the last two summers. In 2021, Barcelona were open to a deal, and that has apparently soured their relationship with the player, and he is not said to be willing to countenance a pay cut. That has complicated matters in terms of his Barca future, although he remains a key player for manager Xavi.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  De Jong has made 190 appearances for Barcelona in total, scoring 16 goals and registering 21 assists. He has also won 54 caps for the Netherlands.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  It remains to be seen whether De Jong will be convinced to put pen to paper, but he has expressed on numerous occasions that he is happy in Catalonia and wants to stay at Barca.

Liverpool have been handed a boost in their ongoing pursuit to bring Kylian Mbappe to Anfield.

What’s the talk?

That’s arising from a report by French publication RMC Sport (via Sport Witness), who claimed that Paris Saint-Germain are growing increasingly concerned about the possibility of losing the 22-year-old on a free transfer next season.

The report states that the centre-forward currently has no intention of renewing his contract with the  Ligue 1 runners-up, with the player’s dialogue with PSG sporting director Leonardo thought to have broken down.

RMC Sport name both Liverpool and Real Madrid as potential destinations for the France international should he leave the Parc des Princes next summer, although it is claimed that neither would be able to afford a move for Mbappe this year.

Klopp will be buzzing

It goes without saying that Mbappe is one of the most exciting talents in world football, so if the possibility of signing him on a free transfer next summer is indeed accurate, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will surely be buzzing.

Indeed, having scored a breathtaking 132 goals and provided a whopping 61 assists in just 171 appearances for PSG, the £144m-rated maestro would be a magnificent addition to any team in world football.

Also, with both Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah edging close to their 30s, Klopp will undoubtedly be starting to consider replacements for the Liverpool stars, both of whom have already been linked with potential moves away from Anfield.

If either of the dynamic duo were to leave the club either this summer or next, then a move for the man David Connolly dubbed “unplayable” could well become a priority for Klopp, with not many better options to replace the goals and assists lost from the potential departure of either Salah or Mane than the PSG star.

For now, speculation regarding Mbappe’s future is very much all ifs and buts, although this latest report does appear to give the Reds hope that a deal could be done for the French forward next summer.

In other news: Forget Wijnaldum: Liverpool begin talks over £60m-rated “warrior” who Klopp would love

Liverpool were left dazed and confused by another VAR farce at Tottenham, but things may yet get worse for them as they face the threat of a fine.

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• Reds reduced to nine men against Spurs
• Diaz saw first-half goal disallowed
• FA must decide on any further action

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Reds were victims of another high-profile error from those overseeing the technology that is supposed to benefit football at the very highest level. Luis Diaz thought he had opened the scoring in north London when racing onto a Mohamed Salah pass and producing a clinical finish – but the flag went up.

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  All incidents such as that are reviewed by those in the VAR booth, and they bizarrely wasted no time at all before passing a “check complete” message on to match referee Simon Hooper. No lines were drawn and it has since been revealed that those at Stockley Park were of the opinion that the goal had initially been given, leading to them confirming that decision to be correct.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  PGMOL released an apology in the wake of Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat, but that is scant consolation to the Reds. They also had two players sent off, with questions asked of whether the challenge that saw Curtis Jones dismissed was reckless enough for a straight red – following another review – and if Diogo Jota deserved the first of the two yellows that he picked up in the space of 22 seconds.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Jurgen Klopp’s side also saw Alexis Mac Allister, Salah, Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk collect cautions. Any side picking up more than five bookings in a game face sanction from the FA. A £25,000 fine is the common punishment, with the reporting on how the Reds are now waiting to discover whether they will be hit in the pocket or let off the hook as a result of some debatable officiating.

From Alex Morgan to Alyssa Naeher, the top-12 U.S. women's national team players in EA FC 24!

The creators of EA Sports FC 24 will be hoping the new game will take the football world by storm, when it is released in September. The latest version of the game promises to produce new features along with the likes of Career Mode and Ultimate Team that made FIFA so beloved.

Buy EA Sports FC 24 on Amazon USPre-order nowBuy EA Sports FC 24 on Amazon UKPre-order now

From Alex Morgan to Crystal Dunn, USWNT fans are in for a treat as they prepare themselves to play with their favorite superstars. Soccer fans will be able to access their favorite players with several getting an upgrade in their ratings. With the game revealing the final ratings for all the players, GOAL sheds light on which USWNT players have the highest ratings in the game.

• Alex Morgan | San Diego Wave | 89

  PAC	83
  SHO	89
  PAS	80
  DRI	88
  DEF	47
  PHY	77

  The USWNT star comes in at the top spot with a brilliant 89 overall card, highlighted by 89 shooting and 88 dribbling!

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• Sophia Smith | Portland Thorns | 88

  PAC	93
  SHO	85
  PAS	78
  DRI	88
  DEF	45
  PHY	82

  Smith has an outstanding card, with amazing pace and dribbling. Surely she's seen as one of the top players to use to begin the game!

• Rose Lavelle | OL Reign | 87

  PAC	86
  SHO	78
  PAS	84
  DRI	87
  DEF	45
  PHY	64

  Lavelle is a very well-rounded attacking midfielder, highlighted by 87 dribbling and 86 pace and a cheeky 84 passing stat.

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• Mallory Swanson | Chicago Red Stars | 86

  PAC	93
  SHO	82
  PAS	82
  DRI	84
  DEF	42
  PHY	71

  Swanson has blistering pace and looks like an outstanding winger to use on the counter-attack.

Some Manchester City fans were livid after it was revealed that the Citizens could sell Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez if they manage to complete the signing of Jack Grealish this summer.

There is likely to be plenty of business at the Etihad Stadium in the coming weeks after they lost the Champions League final 1-0 to Chelsea in Porto, and Grealish appears to be one of the Citizens’ main targets this summer. It has been reported that the Premier League champions are even prepared to break the British transfer record to sign the Aston Villa man (The Telegraph).

Taking the England international to Manchester City would surely mean that Pep Guardiola would need to offload one or two attacking players. According to The Daily Express, City will look to sell both Mahrez and Sterling if they are able to complete the signing of Grealish.

The Algerian has 39 goals and 37 assists in 142 appearances for the Cityzens, while the England winger has 114 goals and 87 assists to his name in 292 games over his six years at the Etihad.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Chief, and it attracted plenty of attention from supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the report

“Worst news so far”

Credit: @OfficialLiLix

“Letting Mahrez go would be a big mistake… Jack is not better than Him.”

Credit: @KetaaClinton

“If Mahrez is sold, there won’t be any difference between Man City and Tottenham. Rotten brains”

Credit: @BashiAzar

“After everything they’ve done for us.”

Credit: @MirrorMan1996

“Why is Mahrez being offloaded? Sterling I can understand. We are not a serious club”

Credit: @Mike_MCFC_

“Am I the only one who thinks this would be terrible business in City’s part?”

Credit: @Yazee_official

In other news, Man City fans are delighted with this Aymeric Laporte news.

Arsenal and Manchester United traded a goal apiece in the space of 90 seconds at the Emirates, with Marcus Rashford and Martin Odegaard on target.

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• Red Devils opened the scoring
• Gunners hit straight back
• Entertaining tie in north London

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Reds Devils opened the scoring after making a nervy start to proceedings in north London, with England ace Rashford delivering a clinical finish to a flowing counter-attack. The Gunners were not prepared to lie down, though, and hit straight back through club captain Odegaard.

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  Rashford made the breakthrough in the 27th minute, with United finally springing into life. They had offered little to the contest by that point, but last season’s 30-goal top scorer produced a moment of inspiration after being sent sprinting into space down the left. Arsenal carved United open with ease a matter of seconds later, though, as Odegaard found room on the edge of the box and stroked the ball into the bottom corner.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Only five players have scored more non-penalty goals than Odegaard in the Premier League since the start of last season – with the Norwegian midfielder up to 16. Rashford is the second Manchester United player to score in three consecutive Premier League appearances against Arsenal, after Robin van Persie.

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• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Both Arsenal and United finished in the top three last season, allowing them to qualify for the Champions League, and harbour ambitions of piecing together title challenges in 2023-24 after spending big again in the summer transfer window.

Ex-Everton star Michael Ball insists Duncan Ferguson is the best available option to become the next manager at Goodison Park.

Reports suggested last week that Rafael Benitez was at the forefront of the Toffees’ thinking when it came to appointing a replacement to Carlo Ancelotti.

On Monday, though, talkSPORT reported that Everton had called that move off due to a vicious backlash from supporters.

Benitez, of course, became a legend during his time managing Liverpool and won the Champions League and the FA Cup at Anfield.

He would have become the first manager ever to be in charge of both Merseyside clubs but Ball now believes that the only option is Ferguson, who has previously been in caretaker charge, taking over after Marco Silva was sacked in 2019.

Ball believes he has every single attribute required to take the club through a difficult spell, and thinks he will also demand that his players leave absolutely everything on the pitch – something that the Toffees have previously lacked.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “Duncan’s been there. He’s been in the changing room, he’s been on the training field with them, and he can pick and choose what he feels suits him and suits the players. He knows the club and he knows the Premier League so, to me, Duncan seems to tick all the boxes right now.

“The question mark over Duncan now is they say ‘can it last over a season’ or ‘can it last over two years, the way he wants to demand 110% from the players?’ Well it should do, because the players should be putting 110% in each and every game.”

The Barcelona star was stretchered off on Friday, leaving the European champions with a massive problem to solve in midfield

England are on the brink of qualifying for the Women's World Cup knockout rounds after beating Denmark 1-0 in Sydney on Friday to make it two wins from two in Australia – but there is serious concern around their chances of glory after Keira Walsh was stretchered off.

It was a night that started with real excitement when Lauren James' outstanding strike broke the deadlock early on, the Chelsea star easily the Player of the Match as she glided around the pitch with confidence and quality to make the Lionesses look really dangerous.

But Walsh's knee injury before half-time was a huge blow for England and the game fell flat after it, with Denmark causing problems on the counter as the European champions tried to find their feet again after losing such an influential player.

Fortunately for Sarina Wiegman and her team, they managed to recover enough to see the game out, despite Denmark substitute Amalie Vangsgaard hitting the post late on, and now have one foot in the last 16.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from the Allianz Stadium in Sydney…

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  LOSER: Keira Walsh

  "I've done my knee." That's what Walsh told the England physios as they raced on to see to her after she'd gone down in some pain at the midway point of the Lionesses' defensive half.

  On the stretch to win the ball, her foot seemed to get stuck in the ground and the midfielder clearly knew right away that it was serious, signalling to the bench immediately that her night was over.

  Stretchered off moments later, it was an extremely worrying scene for Walsh and for the team, too, who do not really have a replacement for the Barcelona star in the squad.

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  WINNER: Lauren James

  There have been so many calls for Lauren James to start at this World Cup, and when she got the chance to do so on Friday, she did not disappoint.

  The Chelsea star was the Lionesses' best player by some distance, constantly looking a threat whenever she picked up the ball, and produced an absolutely gorgeous strike from the edge of the box to give her team the lead.

  It's hard to see her coming out of this line-up after that performance.

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  LOSER: Pernille Harder

  No player that started this game had fewer touches on the pitch than Pernille Harder. Starting in the No.9 role, one of the world's best footballers was incredibly quiet in Denmark's toughest group-stage match, and it was always going to be difficult for her team to get the goal they needed with that the case.

  Harder dropped into a No.10 role later in the second half, but she still struggled to get into the game. It was a shame to see her unable to influence events in the game-changing way that everyone knows she can.

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  WINNER: Alex Greenwood

  Having played as a left-back in the first match, Alex Greenwood moved into a centre-back role for this game and she was much more influential in England's play as a result.

  Her ability on the ball is excellent and that was evident throughout the evening, with her passing range adding another dimension to the Lionesses' play. She's a much greater asset to the team centrally.