Aluko witness fears backlash

An England team-mate of Eni Aluko has revealed she does not expect to be capped again after supporting the striker’s bullying and discrimination complaint against manager Mark Sampson.

Lianne Sanderson, interviewed as part of an inquiry into allegations made by Aluko, said she was resigned to her international career being over after becoming “a key witness” in the case.

Sampson was cleared of any wrongdoing by two investigations and denies Aluko’s claims against him, including that he told her to make sure her Nigerian relatives did not bring Ebola to a game.

Sanderson is the only capped player to have publicly backed Aluko, posting on Twitter after the Chelsea forward broke her silence on the matter on Monday: “I am so proud of one of my best friends @Enialu. I have stood with you through this and I will continue to do so. Now people hopefully see!”

Sanderson, 29, who last played for her country in October 2015, has been injured for almost a year.

She told the BBC: “When I come back from my injury, I’ll be able to be selected for England again. Will I be selected? Probably not, because they know I’m a key witness in this thing. You’re trying to do the right thing but that shouldn’t mean that your England career suffers.

“If they changed the coach, it wouldn’t change the culture. It’s a thing the FA need to make better.”