SARINA: TIME CHORUS LINE STEPPED UP

England v Japan, Kick-off 7pm

SARINA WIEGMAN has challenged her new-look defence to step up after Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood were ruled out of England’s clash with Japan tonight.

The Lionesses meet the 2011 World Champions in Murcia, Spain, in the first of an international friendly double-header before taking on Norway on Tuesday.

Greenwood is absent after sustaining a minor injury in Manchester City’s win at Reading.

Bronze has tested positive for Covid-19 and, although she will remain in Spain, the Barcelona defender will only return to the squad after a negative result.

It means Wiegman has had to shuffle her pack in defence, with Leah Williamson already absent.

But despite the defensive headache, the England boss is viewing tonight’s clash as an opportunity to run the rule over potential candidates for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

“It gives players the opportunity to play and be part of the team,” said Wiegman. “And, for us, an opportunity to see where they’re at and how they compete with the players who have been in the team for a long time.”

With Bronze and Greenwood now on the injury list, it is likely that at least one of Lotte Wubben-Moy, Niamh Charles and Maya Le Tissier will be given an opportunity to impress the England boss.

Japan beat England back at the 2015 World Cup, but the Lionesses are currently on a 24-game unbeaten run under Wiegman.

Midfielder Georgia Stanway (above, left, with Nikita Parris in training yesterday) is expecting a tough challenge against the 2018 Asian Cup winners. Stanway, who will be up against Bayern Munich team-mate Saki Kumagai, feels the game could be similar to the Lionesses’ Euros quarter-final with Spain. “Japan are technically unbelievable,” she said. “It’s going to be a very exciting game – another tough opponent.”