England v Ireland LIVE: Euro 2025 qualifying latest team news and updates

Speaking about tonight’s match Sarina outlined the necessity of winning the game but she is also looking for an improved performance from her players.

“It’s another important game in our journey to qualify in this period for the Euros,” said the England manager.

“We want to improve our game. All of the teams in this competition have been really challenging. We expect them to be really tough again.

“Of course, we approach every game to win, so that won’t be any different. We want to control the game a little more than we did the last time we played against them.”

The Republic of Ireland will be without Arsenal defender Katie McCabe due to suspension, as well as injured San Diego Wave forward Kyra Carusa.

Those are big losses for a side looking to secure their first win in qualifying.

Meanwhile, England could welcome back Mary Earps and Niamh Charles who have both seemingly recovered from injury.

England have had their fair share of wake-up calls as of late and they haven’t always heeded them. This time, though, they finally did what was required.

They are joint-second in Group A3, trailing leaders France by two points with two fixtures remaining. The top two teams in the group automatically progress to next year’s tournament in Switzerland, the others have to endure play-off rounds.

England have won all seven of their previous meetings with the Republic of Ireland by an aggregate score of 30-1, only holding a better 100 per cent record against Northern Ireland (12/12) and Austria (10/10).

Since 2021 when England’s men reached the final of Euro 2020 there hasn’t been a year where one of the nations top teams haven’t been in a major tournament final.

In 2022 England’s women reached the final and won the Women’s Euros before finishing as runners-up in the World Cup in 2023. Now Gareth Southgate’s side are back in men’s Euros final and will face Spain on Sunday evening.

Wiegman said that the fact one of England’s men’s or women’s first teams have reached a final in each of the last four summers could only be a good thing.

She said: “We all know that football worldwide is the biggest sport. In England it’s on a different level since I came in and worked here.

“It’s so deep in society and the people support so much and it’s incredible of course. I never, ever take it for granted. I think the whole country should be very proud of what, at this moment, the England men do.

“It’s not easy, that’s what we’ve seen too. It’s good to be English at the moment.”

Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman hails from the Netherlands but has a special connection to England ever since accepting the role as head coach of the women’s national team.

Watching England’s men’s players defeat her home country in the semi-finals of Euro 2024 was a tough one for Wiegman but she wished Gareth Southgate and the team good fortune for the final on Sunday.

“You want a political answer?” she said. “No, I have to be really honest, of course I wish the very, very best for Gareth and his team and so many people, of course, because we are colleagues.

“But it did hurt [watching the Netherlands lose], a little bit. My orange heart hurt.”

England women’s boss Sarina Wiegman conceded “it’s a good time to be English” even after Gareth Southgate’s men booked a trip to the Euro 2024 final at the expense of her native Netherlands.

The Lionesses, who were successful in their quest for European glory two summers ago, on Wednesday night gathered in Norwich ahead of their own Euro 2025 qualifier with the Republic of Ireland to watch their male counterparts’ final four meeting.

Wiegman was as diplomatic as a retired 104-cap Netherlands player could possibly be when asked how it felt to watch Ollie Watkins’ 90th-minute winner in Dortmund.

“I had to move away when I was 16 to chase my dream,” said 23-year-old Hemp who plays for Manchester City in the Women’s Super League.

“Now it’s amazing to come back and see how many football teams there are that weren’t there when I was younger. Hopefully there will be many more little Lauren Hemps.

“Every forward loves scoring and assisting so to do that at Carrow Road would be even more special.”

“I used to come and watch games here every other week when Norwich were on. I trained just around the corner from here. It’s really special,” The Lionesses forward told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I know this place like the back of my hand. It holds a special place in my heart and it will be great to come out here, in front of a packed out Carrow Road.

“The atmosphere from the games I’ve watched with Norwich have been incredible. I hope to see that again [on Friday].”

“It’s another very important game in our journey to qualify for the Euros. We want to improve our game too and of course Republic of Ireland have been challenging all the teams in this group so we expect them to be really tough again tomorrow. We approach every game to win. We want to play well and control the game.

“We got some good preparation in the Netherlands last week. We wanted to build some volume, get everyone back up to speed, because after some time off you have to get back in it.

“That’s what we did and of course we have to get ready for these two games now. We have been able to work on little tweaks in our game.”