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England Women have announced a 54-strong elite player squad for this season, with more than half the group awarded inaugural 15-a-side professional contracts.The squad is split into full-time, part-time, short-term and non-contracted players. Eight of Great Britains Rio Olympics rugby sevens squad that narrowly missed out on a medal in Brazil will return to the 15-a-side programme, including Emily Scarratt, Claire Allan, Natasha Hunt and Danielle Waterman.Eighteen players have been handed full-time deals as England look to retain the womens World Cup in Ireland next August, with nine on part-time contracts, 11 gaining short-term deals and 16 non-contracted.The squad will prepare for games in November against France, Ireland, New Zealand and Canada, ahead of the Six Nations, in addition to the HSBC world rugby sevens series.England Women head coach Simon Middleton said: With less than 12 months to the 2017 womens Rugby World Cup, the focus for the EPS this year will be very much on the 15-a-side game.We believe everyone in this squad has the potential to make the World Cup.We are looking forward to an exciting season, and I would like to recognise and thank those employers who have supported and released players to take up these contracts and represent England. 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But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. Their Champions League goal achieved, Arsenal set out to further their momentum as they begin a busy holiday fixture list Saturday at home versus Stoke City.The Gunners (9-4-1) finished atop their Champions League group for the first time since 2011-12 courtesy of a 4-1 victory at FC Basel on Tuesday. Lucas Perez, who his disappointed since his much-hyped arrival from Deportivo La Coruna at the transfer deadline, notched three goals as Arsenal beat out PSG for Group A honours.The immediate good news for Arsenal is that Barcelona and Atletico Madrid cannot be drawn as possible opponents for their two-legged round of 16 knockout tie come February. Though, the glass half-empty supporters will be quick to point out manager Arsene Wenger has been dumped in the round of 16 for six consecutive years, including by AC Milan the last time they won a qualifying group back in 2011-12.On the flip side, Arsenal could be pitted against Spanish La Liga leaders Real Madrid, reigning three-time Europa League champions Sevilla and Bayern Munich. The perennial German power put the Gunners to the sword in both 2012-13 and 2013-14, advancing on away goals in 2013 and straightforward the following year.I dont even know who we can get because I dont know the results of the night, but as I told you before, we can still have a difficult draw, he told the teams official website. It will be difficult but we will have less guilt because we feel weve done the job by finishing first, and we play our second game at home. Thats what we wanted. After that, I said that there is not much difference in the draw, certainly not at the moment.Arsenal will now have nearly two months to stake their claim to be a contender for the Premier League title and enter this match in second place, three points behind Chelsea. The Gunners are 9-4-0 in league play since opening with a loss to Liverpool and claimed a derby pelt last Saturday with a 5-1 victory at West Ham United.Alexis Sanchez set up Mesut Ozil for the first goal of that contest, then scored three around one by Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain as they ran riot on the Hammers with four goals in the final 20 minutes. Sanchez has looked comfortable both leading the line and playing off Olivier Giroud, and with five goals to spark Arsenal to wins in the last two matches, there is no one in the Premier League in finer form at the moment.He has all the ingredients that you want for a centre forward, Wenger said of when asked about Sanchez playing as a central striker. We all would love his qualities to play there. And I think as well, now, he is convinced that its his best position and in every game he has that as well.He maintains that focus and will always kill you when he can. He can always deliver something special because he can dribble, has a short backlift, and he has pace. So thats why hes interesting.Sanchez -- who has 11 leaguue goals and 13 in all competitions -- has two and two assists in three lifetime matches against Stoke, bagging a brace in a 3-0 win Jan.dddddddddddd11, 2015. That began Arsenals current three-match unbeaten streak (2-1-0) versus the Potters in which they have not conceded a goal.The Gunners have a 315-minute shutout streak against Stoke dating to Jonathan Walters goal on the stroke of halftime that proved to be the match-winner for the Potters in a 3-2 victory Dec. 6, 2014.Stoke City (5-4-5) have put their early season struggles long behind them as they enter this match in the top half of the table. The Potters shook off an 0-3-4 start by posting wins in five of their last seven matches (5-1-1) and are seeking a third straight victory on the trot after blanking Watford and Burnley.Walters and Marc Muniesa scored 15 minutes apart in the first half to power Stoke past the Clarets 2-0 last Saturday, and the Spanish defender has filled in ably for injured talisman Ryan Shawcross in the two victories -- which coincide with his first two league starts of 2016-17.With a busy December that has the Potters also making trips to Anfield and Stamford Bridge, the pressure is on to further the momentum to stay in the top half of the table.Were back in the top half at the moment with five tough games against top teams coming up, so we will need to be strong if we are to show people that we are capable of moving higher in the table, Muniesa told Stokes official website. We are in a very good mood at the moment and everybody will be needed.One player not available for this match will be first-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland, who is still recovering from a fractured ankle suffered playing for England. Butland, expected to challenge Joe Hart for the No. 1 England shirt, was held out of Stokes U-23 match last weekend as a precaution, but an MRI taken showed no damage and he could return to the senior side by Boxing Day.He has had his MRI scans and as far as Im aware its one of those where its nowhere near as complicated or as bad as the last time it happened to him, assistant coach Mark Bowen said on BBC Radio Stokes Sport at Six show. The biggest concern when coming back from an injury of such ilk is the mental state as well as anything else, not just the physical state.Stoke also will not have the services of defender Geoff Cameron, who has been sidelined by a knee injury. Arsenal are without influential holding midfielder Santi Carzola and first-choice wide back Hector Bellerin, though he and Per Mertesacker have resumed practicing with the team.Arsenal have won all eight top-flight meetings between the teams by a combined 19-3 scoreline, posting five clean sheets while scoring at least two goals in six of those victories. ' ' '