JORDAN NOBBS will return to the England fold when the Lionesses tackle Brazil at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium next month, with Phil Neville admitting the North-Easterner was a big miss at this summer’s World Cup finals.

Nobbs, who was raised in Ferryhill and first joined Sunderland Ladies’ academy at the age of eight, would have been an integral part of Neville’s squad in France had she not ruptured her knee ligaments in a Women’s Super League game last November.

The Arsenal midfielder missed the second half of last season and was still recuperating as her England team-mates made the World Cup semi-finals, with her only involvement in the tournament coming courtesy of some television appearances as a pundit.

She made her domestic return in a 2-1 win over West Ham at the start of the month, and is set to feature in the game against Brazil after being named in Neville’s squad yesterday.

England host Brazil on Teesside on October 5 before travelling to Portugal three days later, and as well as restoring Nobbs to the ranks, Neville has also recalled fit-again trio Jill Scott, Alex Greenwood and Fran Kirby, all of whom missed the recent games against Belgium and Norway through injury.

“To get Jordan back is really exciting,” said Neville. “Her mentality has been great. We have kept her involved in most things we have been doing. We have been in constant contact with her.

“From the moment she was diagnosed, her focus was to get back into that England shirt as soon as possible. Her enthusiasm and the performances she has had so far this season - she played 90 minutes and I watched her at Manchester United - that player we have become accustomed to and we missed at the World Cup has got back up to speed immediately.”

Nobbs is one of seven North-East players who will be hoping to make the starting line-up at the Riverside. Goalkeeper Carly Telford, defenders Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze and Demi Stokes, and forward Beth Mead has been named alongside Nobbs and Scott in the squad, with Neville hoping to breathe new life into his side’s preparations for the 2021 European Championships, which England will host, after the loss to Norway and a draw with Belgium.

This will be the first time the senior England women’s team has played in the North-East, and with more than 23,000 tickets having been sold, Neville is delighted to be visiting a region that is responsible for producing so many of his first-team players.

“It will be great to be back in front of our fans again after two away matches,” said the England boss. “I know playing in Middlesbrough will mean passionate support and the big crowd we’re expecting shows just how much the team connected with the public in the summer. This game – and the match at Wembley against Germany in November – will be our chance to say ‘Thank you’ to them.

“For us, as a coaching team, we are working towards Euro 2021 and every camp is vital for our tournament preparation. We cannot afford to waste a day and those players we have picked are aware there are others pushing them hard for their spot. With the Olympics also coming next summer, we know we have to finish an excellent year of progress on a high.”

England squad: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Lyon), Rachel Daly (Houston Dash), Mary Earps (Man United), Bethany England (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Lyon), Steph Houghton (Man City), Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Aoife Mannion (Man City), Abbie McManus (Man United), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal), Nikita Parris (Lyon), Ellie Roebuck (Man City), Jill Scott (Man City), Demi Stokes (Man City), Jodie Taylor (Reign FC), Carly Telford (Chelsea), Kiera Walsh (Man City), Leah Williamson (Arsenal).