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Phil Neville: VAR at Women's World Cup will be massive

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Phil Neville says England will have to get used to VAR before it is used at the World Cup in the summer

England Women head coach Phil Neville says the use of VAR at this year's World Cup will be "massive" and the squad will have to adapt to it.

The technology is being implemented at the tournament in France after FIFA faced pressure to improve refereeing standards.

VAR was used at the men's World Cup in Russia last year and was widely viewed as a success.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Neville said: "There are going to be a few rules changes, apart from VAR.

"There's a rule change where players can go inside the area to play out from goal kicks, there's where you stand in the wall.

Lucy Bronze of England (2) reacts towards team mates during the International Friendly match between England Women and Sweden Women at The New York Stadium on November 11, 2018 in Rotherham, England.
Image: England will face Scotland, Argentina and Japan in Group D at the World Cup in France

"VAR is going to be a massive thing, but it's a massive thing in a positive way. I think we all know that referee standards have to improve in both men's and women's football.

"In VAR, we saw in the summer with the men how it helped enormously and our players will be well trained and well-rehearsed.

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"We are hoping in one of the pre-World Cup games, we will maybe trial it and get the players used to it because they won't be able to get away with some of the things that they can get away with probably if there wasn't VAR.

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Neville insists his squad are comfortable with high expectations heading into the World Cup

"We had a penalty given against us in the SheBelieves Cup against Brazil that if there was VAR, it wouldn't have been given.

"We've got to use it as a positive and got to make sure we brief the players and make sure they know how it's going to be used.

"And we have to trust that FIFA and the referees are trained and prepared and they do their jobs as well as we do ours."

The Women's World Cup takes place from June 7 to July 7.

England are ranked third in the world after winning the SheBelieves Cup last month.

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