Manchester United’s Mary Earps has claimed the Women’s Super League golden glove accolade after keeping 13 clean sheets this season, adding another honour to her growing list.
She collected the FIFA Best award earlier in the year and has been a consistently strong performer for a United side who still have title ambitions heading into the final day. Teammate Maya Le Tissier told MEN Sport what it has been like to play in front of Earps for both club and country.
“I’m so confident when she plays behind me I think if one gets past me, which obviously I try my best not to let that happen but I’m like ‘ah Mary’s got it anyway,’” she said with a smile.
“But it's nice to be so confident in the person you have behind you to speak up if anything gets through us, but we try to make Mary’s life as easy as possible trying not to let any shots go towards her goal. Mary’s such a good part of the team and brings so much experience as well.”
The 30-year-old has been in phenomenal form this season conceding only 12 goals in 21 games, the lowest of the WSL. Her 13 clean sheets in 21 league games has helped Manchester United into the Champions League, and very much in the race for the WSL title, while they also reached the Women’s FA Cup final, where they lost to Chelsea. They are strong numbers for a player who wasn't always set on being a goalkeeper.
“I was one of those kids that I wanted to just be involved and score because I thought that's where all the fun was," said Earps. "And then I saved this penalty and my dad said to me 'See, if one of the other girls was in goal they wouldn't have saved that' and that was it!
“I trained as a goalkeeper ever since and I just loved it. I loved diving around in the mud, I love that feeling of making a save and helping the team."
United end their WSL campaign against Liverpool at Prenton Park on Saturday needing a win to have any chance of overhauling leaders Chelsea. The Blues have a two-point cushion and visit Reading. Both matches kick off at 2.30pm.
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