After spending all season on the sidelines, recalled England forward Jodie Taylor is ready to end 2016 on a high.
The 30-year-old suffered an Achilles injury during the SheBelieves Cup in March.
She signed for Arsenal shortly after that tournament but didn’t make her debut until last month’s 2-0 win over Doncaster Rovers Belles – and celebrated her Gunners bow by grabbing both goals.
Netherlands v England
Women's International
6pm (GMT), Tuesday 29 November
Koning Willem II Stadion, Tilburg
Live on BBC Red Button, BBC Sport website
And now Taylor is back in the England squad ahead of their match against Euro 2017 hosts Netherlands on Tuesday, the Lionesses’ final match of the year.
She said: “It feels amazing to be back.
“I’ve had a tough year with injury. It was nice to have a couple of games with Arsenal and then to be selected for this is awesome. I am feeling fit and fresh. I’ve been working hard, trying to get back to full fitness.
“I always want to be involved [with England] but I didn’t expect to be selected. We’ve got a really strong squad with new players coming in, old players still around and everyone’s been doing well, so I wasn’t expecting it.
“I don’t take anything for granted in football. I’m just really pleased to be here.”
Taylor earned her last England cap in the 1-0 defeat by USA in March – just her fourth international appearance since helping Mark Sampson’s side win bronze at the World Cup in 2015.
She added: “I’ve been keeping an eye on every fixture, hoping I would make one. In the end it was just ‘wait and see’.
“This one, probably five weeks or so ago, was quite a realistic aim so I just had to focus on getting back on the pitch for my club and then hopefully getting on this trip.
“So the aim is to stay healthy, stay fit and fresh to lead into next year.”
England enjoyed a fairly straightforward route through to the Euro finals with seven wins from eight matches.
They were subsequently drawn in Group D for next summer’s showpiece alongside Scotland, Spain and Portugal.
Taylor (third from left) poses with England team-mates at St. George's Park
And Tuesday’s match against Arjen van der Laan’s side, ranked 12th in the world, will take place at the Koning Willem II Stadium in Tilburg, the same venue where England will meet Portugal in their final group match next July.
Taylor said: “We’re all pleased to finish off the year against a good, strong side like Holland, and to be going to one of the Euro venues.
“I think that’s going to be a big advantage to us going into the finals; trying to get a feel for the venue, visualising what it might be like next year.
“Hopefully we’ll have a really good week of training, end the year on a high and be ready come January to kick on towards the finals.”
