England boss Phil Neville has labelled the Lionesses’ last two displays as “outstanding” after a 1-0 friendly win in Portugal eased the pressure on him.
The Lionesses prevailed in a tight, scrappy game in Lisbon, with Beth Mead’s late winner handed to the visitors following a blunder from Portugal goalkeeper Patricia Morais.
England have struggled since losing to the USA in the World Cup last summer, with defeat in the third-place play-off to Sweden, a draw in Belgium and losses to Norway and Brazil, who won 2-0 at the Riverside on Saturday.
“The players were determined to win and we got the luck we haven’t had in the last five games,” Neville was quoted as saying by the BBC. “The performances over the last two games have been outstanding.”
The former Manchester United defender added: “I’m pleased with the players, I’m pleased with the spirit, I’m pleased with the direction that we’re going in.
“And for me personally, in terms of what I’ve seen at this camp, it’s been my most enjoyable camp since I’ve been a manager with this England team.”
England dominated possession against a side 23 places below them in FIFA’s rankings, but failed to play with cohesion or intensity for long periods.
Neville, appointed to the role in January 2018, said on Monday that he did not fear for his position.
“We said before the game that a lot of people are saying this is a must-win game. For us every game is like that, every game we want to win, that’s the mentality of these players,” he added.
“There were some outstanding performances and I think we’ve seen one or two cement their place at Wembley.”
Next up for the Lionesses is a friendly against Germany at Wembley on November 9.
PA Sport contributed to this report
