Manchester United's Mary Earps opens up on the criticism of female goalkeepers, being her team-mates' 'agony aunt' and her ambitions to be England No 1 as Red Devils prepare for Old Trafford showdown with Everton
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- Manchester United's Mary Earps will line up for United when they face Everton
- It will be the first time the women's team have played at Old Trafford on Sunday
- Earps 'Liverpool supporting' father is likely to be in attendance at the match
Mary Earps is Manchester United's No 1 who wears the No 27 shirt. It is a tradition she has kept since leaving Wolfsburg and one, she says, will remain in place until the end of her career.
'Wolfsburg was such a life-changing year for me personally and professionally that I just feel like the number is symbolic to me,' Earps tells Sportsmail.
'I can't see me ever changing the shirt back. I think my team-mates will tell you I quite like to be different anyway!'
Earps will line up for United when they take on Everton at Old Trafford on Sunday. It is the first time the women's team will have played at the Theatre of Dreams in front of fans, with last season's game against West Ham taking place behind closed doors.
A crowd of around 25,000 is expected, which will likely include Earps Liverpool-supporting father.
'Thanks for bringing that up!' Earps laughs. 'I think it's pretty well documented, my dad is from Liverpool so I grew up a Liverpool fan. I say I'm a red, just a different kind.
Naturally, there were a few digs about signing for dad's rival club. 'Oh yeah gave me plenty of stick,' Earps laughs again. 'He said I was a disgrace to the family and I wasn't allowed to come home for Christmas!'
There is no doubt, however, that Earps is now a fully committed Red Devil. And at 29, she is one of the more experienced members of United's dressing room. 'I think I'm definitely a big character at United.
'I like to say I've been around the block a few times, I'm at a stage in my career where I've got a lot of experience in many different scenarios. Nothing really feels too new anymore which brings a sense of calmness and invincible attitude of 'okay, bring it on, beat me now.
'I think it's good for the younger players in the team. I sometimes feel like I'm a bit of an Agony Aunt. If they've got something going on, on or off the pitch, normally I can relate to it because I've experienced a lot myself.'
One of Earps' biggest strengths is her communication with her team-mates, with the keepers' booming voice often heard from high up in the stands.
'I did a lot of dancing growing up which I think helped me,' says Earps. 'When you're doing a singing and dancing solo on stage to Pop Goes the Weasel, demanding your defender to go a little bit right or left doesn't faze you.
'That set me apart at a younger age because quite a lot of goalkeepers felt a bit embarrassed to shout or communicate to their team but I was never really like that.'
Female goalkeepers are often the target of critics, with mistakes used as a stick to beat the women's game with. But a fact that is often overlooked is that current professional keepers did not experience the specialised coaching that youngsters have access to now.
The first time Earps had a full-time goalkeeping coach was when she joined Reading, aged 23.
'It's normal now for younger goalkeepers, maybe from the age of 10, to have goalkeeping training every single training session. That's a completely different world to what I grew up with. I don't look at it as it being shame that I didn't get that because I'm part of the reason why they have it now.
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'I'm grateful for every single part of my journey because it's made me the character and person I am. It's made me have a lot more appreciation for certain things. You know when to demand more from certain situations that aren't acceptable but you can also look back and go 'look how far we've come.'
'When I first played in the WSL at 17 I was working in a cinema, I was doing my A-Levels, I had five or six part-time jobs on the go. Now, I'm playing for Manchester United.'
Earps pauses when asked whether the criticism female goalkeepers receive irritates her.
'When I was younger it used to annoy me because I felt like there was a lack of understanding. Now I'm older I just feel like it's just football.
'You see it in men's and women's football, there is a lack of understanding and appreciation for what goalkeepers do and how difficult the position is unless you've been there in those shoes yourself. I don't think that matters what your gender is.
'Women's football is new in becoming a professional sport. People are starting to watch it so more people have an opinion on it. Whether their opinion has foundation is neither here nor there. When you get to a certain level you can't pay attention to those opinions because you have a job to do. You go through phases of being someone's hero and then you go through phases of being the worst player in the world and that's kind of how opinion is.
'One of my ambitions post-career and while I'm still playing is to help change the narrative and shed light on the journey and reality of being a women's footballer. But it's not my job to make people understand. It's up to them whether they choose to try. There are a lot of unfair opinions, it's not my job to try and change them.'
Earps' performances for United earned her an England recall in September after nearly a two-year absence. Injuries to Ellie Roebuck and Karen Bardsley saw Earps start Sarina Wiegman's first seven games in charge, with the keeper conceding just once. Roebuck is now back fit but Earps perhaps has the advantage of having worked more closely with Wiegman.
'I don't feel entitled to anything,' Earps says when asked whether she feels the No 1 spot is hers ahead of this summer's Euros. 'I have really enjoyed working with Sarina, she has given me a lot of confidence and a lot of belief.
'In terms of the No 1 jersey, that is totally her decision. I just want to play my absolute best every single day in training, every game for Manchester United and every opportunity I may get with England. I don't take it for granted in any way.
'I had a period of time where I wasn't involved and it was a very difficult time. A lot of things happened behind closed doors, there was a lot of silence and there was a lot of loneliness and that was hard for me to deal with. Now I'm just enjoying and embracing every single moment.
'I don't think people can really understand, because they didn't see what transpired in that time, they won't ever really understand how much it means to me and how much I'm enjoying being back in the fold and how grateful I am for the opportunity. The selection is Sarina's decision but my job is to do my absolute best and be in good form. I feel in good form and I want that to continue, that's all I can do and that's all I can control.'
The focus, for now, is on United's clash with Everton at Old Trafford. Manchester City's victory over Everton on Wednesday means both Manchester clubs are level on points in the battle for Champions League football. United are third on goal difference.
'I've been fortunate enough to play in the Champions League with Bristol, Birmingham and Wolfsburg. It's one of the best competitions in the world, definitely the best club competition. You want to be competing with the best. But that is only going to happen if we take care of business every single week. There's not really too much emotion around the Champions League at this point, the focus is very much on the next game.
'The whole team is really excited [to play at Old Trafford]. Hopefully we can do the occasion justice.'
'The game itself is exactly the same as any other game. The focus is to make sure we get the result because that's what the fans want to see. If we have as many people there as possible that would be a huge buzz and a great even for everybody involved and make them all proud.'
For tickets for Manchester United v Everton, visit: www.manutd.com
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