Spurs boss Vilahamn confirms England’s expected return against Manchester United | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Robert Vilahamn has confirmed that forward Bethany England is expected to return to the squad when Manchester United are the visitors to Brisbane Road on Sunday evening.

England missed the start of the season after undergoing minor hip surgery but she is now raring to go after playing some minutes in a recent friendly fixture.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Spurs boss Vilahamn provided the positive update on England’s fitness.

“She will definitely be in the squad,” Vilahamn said. “I’m looking forward to bringing her back in this week.

“I plan to use her as a player and a leader. We are just so happy to have her back.”

Vilahamn went on to praise his other attacking players for stepping up in England’s absence, although he feels that Spurs could have had even more points on the board had the forward been fit.

He said “When I first signed, I knew we had Bethany England in the squad but then all of a sudden, she needed surgery and it was a blow to not have her for a number of games. Other players stepped up and performed well.

“She has already played a part in this squad by being a leader off the field but her leadership role is more effective on the pitch. I’m looking forward to seeing her back on the field so much, she’s a great footballer who scores lots of goals.

“Looking back on some situations, if she had been on the pitch, we might have had a few more points. She’s a brilliant striker.”

Spurs’ fixture against Manchester United comes before back-to-back North London derbies. Vilahamn is excited to see his side contest more matches against the Barclays Women’s Super League’s top sides.

“For me as a coach and for the players, to play these big games is amazing,” Vilahamn said. “We want to compete against the top teams in this league and we have another chance to do that.

“We are at home and I’m sure that the fans will come in their numbers. We played Manchester United in pre-season so we know plenty about them. It’ll be good to see where we are and if we can beat them.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture against Manchester United kicks-off at 6.45pm on Sunday evening. Tickets remain on-sale and can be purchased by clicking here.