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Hannah Hampton can strive for England World Cup role after Aston Villa Women form
Hannah Hampton was back to her best in between the sticks for Aston Villa during their FA Women’s Cup quarter-final win over Manchester City on Sunday (19 March).
Carla Ward’s side progressed to the last four of the cup competition for the first time in the club’s history thanks to goals from Rachel Corsie and Rachel Daly – but it was the heroics of Hampton in between the sticks that will have caught the attention of Sarina Wiegman.
As well as keeping a star-studded Manchester City attack at bay for the majority of the encounter, the distribution of the 22-year-old was another starring feature of her player-of-the-match performance.
The 2022/23 campaign hasn’t been an easy ride for Hampton, who was dropped from the Lionesses squad by Wiegman under confusing circumstances after the successful Euro 2022 campaign.
The England manager stated that “personal issues” needed to be resolved before Hampton could be called back into the team, and the goalkeeper was subsequently left out of the Aston Villa squad despite being available for selection.
Quickly after this major setback, Hampton, who is considered one of the most talented young goalkeepers in Europe, underwent minor surgery on a recurring muscle issue and had a fight on her hands for the Villa number one jersey on her return.
However, since taking the shirt back from Anna Leat, the shot-stopper has been in sublime form and helped the club record a five-match unbeaten run in the Women’s Super League.
With 75 WSL appearances under her belt at the age of 22, Hampton is a goalkeeper who possesses a wealth of experience and can definitely throw her hat in the ring for another England call-up at the World Cup later this year.
As long as the former Birmingham City stopper and Wiegman have resolved any lingering issues, Hampton should be in with a chance of getting for the plane if she continues to impress in claret and blue.
What will have caught the eye of the Lionesses coach will be Hampton’s ability and eagerness to play out from the back and make use of her defence when in possession of the ball.
For a side of England’s quality, who dominate possession in the majority of games, Wiegman will need goalkeepers who she can trust with their feet.
If Hampton can continue to work on her distribution over the coming months and tie this in with her natural shot-stopping ability, she could add to her two England caps sooner than first thought.
In other Aston Villa news, Dan Bardell believes one Villa player was “hung out to dry” under Steven Gerrard and made a fan scapegoat.