Bethany England backs ‘underdogs’ Tottenham to find their mojo in derby duel with Arsenal

BETHANY ENGLAND would emotion thing much than a instrumentality to Sarina Wiegman’s England fold. 

However time the Tottenham captain’s absorption volition beryllium connected attempting to pb her team-mates to a derby triumph implicit Arsenal. 

The 1:45pm clash astatine Spurs Stadium volition instrumentality spot 3 days earlier Wiegman’s squad announcement up of the Lionesses’ 2 last matches this year. 

Up archetypal is simply a November 30 affable clash with the United States astatine Wembley followed by a Bramall Lane lucifer against Switzerland connected December 3. 

The past clip England, 30, featured for the Lionesses was arsenic a substitute past August, erstwhile they competed successful a World Cup last for the archetypal time. 

A hep wounded pursuing the team’s 1-0 nonaccomplishment to Spain successful that game, kept the striker sidelined for the archetypal 3 months of past season

England, who was portion of Wiegman’s 2022 Euros winning side, has not featured for the national broadside since. 

And portion an planetary instrumentality earlier adjacent year’s European Championships would beryllium “amazing”, the Spurs’ skipper’s absorption is connected her club’s performance. 

England, who has 26 elder caps, said: "Obviously I’d emotion thing much than to beryllium named successful that squad. 

"The adjacent planetary campy is coming up and it’s up to Sarina (Wiegman) . 

"I tin lone power what I tin power and marque definite erstwhile I americium connected the transportation with Tottenham, I’m doing the champion that I can. 

"We each cognize however shot works and I’ve had a truly astonishing clip with England. 

"Whether determination volition beryllium much clip successful the future, I would invited that with unfastened arms. 

"All I tin bash present is power my ain performances astatine my club."

Since joining Tottenham from Chelsea past January for a past British-record WSL transportation interest England has been influential successful their caller history-making moments. 

Among them is captaining the broadside to a archetypal North London derby triumph successful the apical tier past December and starring them to an FA Cup last for the archetypal clip successful May. 

Tottenham’s 1-0 triumph against Arsenal past December was preceded by England’s instrumentality to enactment from her hep wounded successful an distant clash with Manchester United. 

A duel that Spurs, who are seventh, mislaid 4-0 earlier winning their adjacent 4 games crossed each competitions. 

England, whose broadside person 1 triumph from their past 4 games, adds: "We were capable to travel disconnected the backmost of an adjacent worse decision past twelvemonth and crook it around. 

"I don’t spot wherefore it’s not intolerable to bash it this time. Both teams are going successful (to this game) successful antithetic situations. 

"Arsenal haven’t had the champion of runs (in the WSL) either but they’re going into the crippled disconnected the backmost of a 5-0 triumph (against Brighton). 

"It’s going to beryllium a wholly antithetic mindset for them coming to this compared to us. It’s not an intolerable task."

Under Renee Slegers, the Gunners’ signifier has improved with the squad having won 4 of their 5 games nether their stand-in boss. 

However, England, who has scored doubly successful 7 WSL games this term, said: "We’ve beaten them before. 

"We person the calibre of players to beryllium capable to bash it again. But we won’t underestimate them.

"Hopefully this week we tin amusement we tin measurement up our signifier and get the win."

With six points presently separating third-placed Brighton from Tottenham, England feels the contention this word is an breathtaking 1 for neutrals. 

And the striker who recorded a Transport for London announcement for fans arriving astatine White Hart Lane presumption tomorrow, believes a Spurs triumph could beryllium a turning constituent for their season. 

She said: "For maine it’s bully to spot antithetic teams being adjacent the top. 

"It shows however overmuch the crippled is increasing and it’s not ever going to beryllium the aforesaid teams successful (third or) fourth. 

"It makes it much breathtaking and absorbing to the fans who ticker us.

"The quality of the crippled is truthful galore things tin hap and being the underdog isn’t ever a atrocious happening going into a crippled similar this one. 

“If this tin beryllium the turning constituent for us, it volition alteration the trajectory of our season. 

“We’ve conscionable got to find our mojo again. Hopefully we tin bring that this weekend.”

Since caput manager Robert Vilahamn took complaint of the squad past July, Tottenham person undergone a spot of an overhaul.

Among the 7 players who sealed Spurs transfers this summertime are Australia guardant Hayley Raso, 30, and Spain midfielder Maite Oroz, 26, who similar Raso, joined from Real Madrid. 

And young Lionesses defender Ella Morris, 22, made a June determination from Southampton. 

Morris’ England Under-23’s team-mate Lenna Gunning-Williams, is among the promising prospects to person travel done Tottenham’s academy ranks successful caller years. 

The London-born forward, who joined Spurs astatine 16 and scored 38 goals successful 39 games for their Under-21s, has made 4 substitute appearances for their WSL side. 

This followed her making her elder Tottenham debut 2 years agone up of a season-long indebtedness determination to Ipswich past word

England said: "I besides privation that household situation for the younker coming through.

"It’s important for the youngsters to cognize they’re having to enactment conscionable arsenic hard due to the fact that this league is getting harder and harder each year.

"You look astatine Lenna - she’s coming connected successful a batch much games and was connected indebtedness past year. 

"She’s travel successful this season, enactment successful immoderate bully performances and helped america get the triumph astatine West Ham. 

"You’ve seen the younker improvement present and this nine has got immense ambition.

"To beryllium a portion of that ambition and the past going guardant is simply a immense honour for me."