When Nikita Parris broke onto the scene with Everton, she did so as a bright, young forward willing to run at players and take them on, but also keen to work hard for her team. This was a player hungry to prove that she belonged at the highest level.
Fast-forward 13 years, and not much has changed. Parris will still run herself into the ground for her side, she’s still so direct and positive and, despite all she’s achieved, it still feels like she has a point to prove.
Now 29, Parris has won every trophy she’s competed for at club level – including the Women’s Champions League – and she’s also become a European champion with England. But she finds herself on the outside looking in when it comes to the Lionesses at the moment.
Sunday, then, was a reminder of what she can bring to the table. In the starting XI as Manchester United took on her old club, Everton, Parris stole the show, scoring twice and assisting another in a well-needed 5-0 win. No one created more chances or won more fouls than the forward, but perhaps more notably, no one won more tackles or aerial duels, either.
“I always want to be in positions to score goals and ultimately put the team ahead, and [I want] continue to fight for the team until the final whistle,” Parris told MUTV afterwards, perfectly summarising her all-round game. “That's my job and that's what I love to do.”
After such a display, there were plenty of calls for her to return to an England squad that she’s been absent from since last November. With the Lionesses attacking pool only growing, though, how strong are her chances?