England Women vs USWNT: Preview, predictions and lineups

England will host the USA this Saturday at Wembley Stadium as Sarina Wiegman and Emma Hayes prepare to face each other on the touchline for the very first time.

Returning from their heroic gold medal feat at the Paris Olympics this summer, the USA will be seeking revenge on England after falling to a 2-1 defeat the last time the two sides met at Wembley in October 2022.

Both nations will be without key players for the upcoming friendly, with a long list of goalscoring stars absent due to injury and rotation.

Here’s 90min’s preview of Saturday’s clash.

Current form (all competitions)

England

USA

England 2-1 South Africa – 29/10/24

USA 3-0 Argentina – 30/10/24

England 3-4 Germany – 25/10/24

USA 3-1 Iceland – 27/10/24

Sweden 0-0 England – 16/07/24

USA 3-1 Iceland – 25/10/24

England 2-1 Republic of Ireland – 12/07/24

USA 1-0 Brazil – 10/08/24

France 1-2 England – 04/06/24

USA 1-0 Germany – 06/06/24

Country

TV/Livestream

United Kingdom

ITV1, ITVX

USA

TNT Sports, NBC Universo, HBO Max

Lauren HempLauren Hemp

England v Sweden – UEFA Women’s European Qualifier / Catherine Ivill – AMA/GettyImages

The Lionesses will be without key stars heading into the clash with the USA, with both Lauren James and Lauren Hemp absent from the squad. The news of Hemp’s absence came when Manchester City announced that the star had undergone surgery on her knee just last week.

Sarina Wiegman will also be without Ella Toone, after the Manchester United midfielder was confirmed to have sustained a calf injury that will have her sidelined for up to six weeks. Less than a week before the friendly, it was also announced that Lotte Wubben-Moy had been called up to replace Maya Le Tissier, who suffered concussion while in action for Manchester United.

England predicted lineup vs USA (4-3-3): Hampton; Bronze, Williamson, Bright, Greenwood; Walsh, Stanway, Park; Kelly, Russo, Mead

Mallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, Trinity RodmanMallory Swanson, Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman

Brazil v United States: Gold Medal Match: Women’s Football – Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 15 / Brad Smith/ISI/GettyImages

The USA will also be without key players, with star trio Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith and Mallory Swanson all left out of the squad for the upcoming European friendlies.

Head coach Hayes has insisted that she has “no fear whatsoever” in trusting her youth talent against England, heavily alluding to the fact that we may see a rotated USA side at Wembley.

USA predicted lineup vs England (4-3-3): Naeher; Fox, Girma, Davidson, Nighswonger; Coffey, Lavelle, Horan; Williams, Sentnor, Thompson

The first meeting between Wiegman and Hayes will be sure to bring the fireworks as both nations prepare to battle it out under the arch.

A heavily rotated USA frontline will suggest that Hayes will use the friendly fixture as an opportunity to test the waters on some youth talent, and Wiegman’s persistence to stick with what she knows may suggest the opposite for England.

With both sides projected to play with strong defensive and midfield thirds, the frontline will be the area that the game is won. England may be without key stars, but names like Alessia Russo, Beth Mead and Chloe Kelly will provide familiar comfort for the side up front.

The reigning gold medalists will definetley not roll over despite the rotated squad, and will be sure to test England at Wembley Stadium.

Prediction: England 2-2 USA

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