Following a six-season stint with Manchester United, Mary Earps finalized her transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in June 2024, aiming to embark on a fresh chapter in her career.
This Wednesday evening marks her return to Old Trafford, albeit as a member of the opposing team.
What were Mary Earps’ accomplishments during her tenure at Manchester United?
Mary Earps became a part of Manchester United in July 2019, enlisting with the newly-promoted WSL team in anticipation of the 2019/20 season, and ascended to prominence as one of the globe’s premier goalkeepers throughout her six-year tenure.
During her involvement with United, she evolved into an essential component of the club. Her steadiness and command garnered the interest of Sarina Wiegman, and by 2021, she had cemented her position as the Lionesses’ primary goalkeeper. In the summer of 2022, she played a pivotal role in England’s triumphant Euros campaign.
Achievements followed at both the domestic and international levels. Earps was awarded the WSL Golden Glove during the 2022/23 WSL season, as United secured the second position, thereby qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first time and progressing to the FA Cup final, where they were defeated by Chelsea.
Her performance was also acknowledged on a worldwide scale – in October 2023, subsequent to her penalty save in the World Cup final, she attained fifth place in the Ballon d’Or voting, marking the highest rank ever attained by a goalkeeper since the establishment of the women’s award in 2018.
The advancement of Earps and United persisted into 2023/24, with an FA Cup victory contributing another significant achievement to the goalkeeper’s period with the club. Their second-place standing in the preceding season had secured them a spot in the Champions League qualifiers for the first time. Ironically, they were eliminated by PSG, the very team Earps later decided to join.
What were the reasons behind Earps’ departure from Manchester United?
By the summer of 2024, Earps’ contract was nearing its end. United presented her with a fresh contract proposal, but following a protracted period of deliberation, she opted to pursue a different path. Her recently launched book alludes to a perceived deficiency in urgency from the club to secure her commitment to new terms – a recurring concern within the club.
Earps became part of an expanding roster of prominent individuals who departed on complimentary transfers, including Ona Batlle to Barcelona, Alessia Russo to Arsenal, and Katie Zelem to Angel City.
“It’s a choice that I’ve contemplated repeatedly for a considerable duration, and it’s not one I’ve approached lightly,” Earps conveyed on Instagram during that period.
“The club is poised to undergo a phase of transformation, and regrettably, I don’t believe it aligns with the timing of my career trajectory.
“I believe now represents the opportune moment to instigate a change and embark on a novel endeavor.”
United’s inability to guarantee Champions League participation for the 2024/25 season undoubtedly influenced her judgment.
A transition to PSG furnished the prospect of consistent involvement in European competitions, yet her new adventure overseas commenced with disappointment, as the French team encountered an unexpected defeat against Juventus in the second qualifying phase of the Champions League.
That premature departure meant that Earps was unable to participate in the group stages, with this season signifying her eagerly awaited introduction to the primary competition.
Has Manchester United encountered any difficulties in the absence of Earps?
Upon the declaration of the widely admired Earps’s impending departure from Manchester, supporters voiced considerable disappointment.
While her exit created a deficiency, a new luminary promptly materialised in the goalkeeping position at United. Phallon Tullis-Joyce had dedicated the 2023/24 season to observing Earps from the periphery and patiently anticipating her opportunity.
Throughout her inaugural season as United’s primary goalkeeper, Tullis-Joyce sustained 13 clean sheets, co-receiving the 2024/25 WSL Golden Glove accolade alongside Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton.
United’s defensive unit has consistently received commendation for its structured arrangement and safeguarding effectiveness.
This firm defense has extended into European competitions this season as well. United has yet to concede any goals during the group stages of the tournament in their initial two matches.
In Tullis-Joyce, United has discovered another exceptional goalkeeper.
What opinions have been expressed?
It is assumed that Earps maintains amicable relations with many of her former Manchester United colleagues. She disclosed that Ella Toone was the initial person to reach out to her subsequent to the Champions League draw, which paired PSG and United.
Regarding her return to her previous team, Earps remarked: “I am probably anticipating a slight degree of booing. I hope it remains minimal, but it could potentially be substantial.”
“I am aware that Mary possesses inherent goodness,” Skinner stated. “I am confident that a segment of introducing a literary work entails incorporating contentious elements that will assist in promoting the book. I am cognizant that she is obligated to defend that publicly.
“Considering the human being that she is, I am certain that she will encounter disapproval that she may not appreciate. It constitutes a facet of the additional dimension of publishing a book.
“However, she is an exceptional individual; she does not require my confirmation in actuality. I express the hope that individuals will maintain decorum in their criticism, but I am confident that Mary comprehends the circumstances she has positioned herself within.
“She occupies a platform in which individuals are intrigued by her pronouncements, so that serves as a testament to her accomplishments and diligence.
“The goalkeeper we initially possessed, compared to the one who ultimately departed, was not the same individual. She underwent a transformation.”
What anticipations can we derive from the Manchester United versus PSG encounter?
Anticipate a fiercely contested match between two of Europe’s leading teams, each possessing considerable motivation.
For Manchester United, it signifies an avenue to assess themselves against one of the continent’s superior teams and to underscore the magnitude of their advancement since Earps’s departure.
For PSG and Earps, it presents an opportunity to redirect attention away from her sensational publication and back toward her area of expertise as the ‘Queen of Stops’.
Whether her foreshadowing of booing materializes remains to be determined, but all focus will be directed toward Earps when the teams convene at Old Trafford.
Commencement is scheduled for 8 p.m. GMT, to be broadcast live on Disney+.
