Mary Earps returned to Old Trafford for the first time since leaving Manchester United for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer and the England star was booed during the match
Former Manchester United and England goalkeeper Mary Earps received a mixed reception as she returned to Old Trafford, with cheers greeting her during the warm-up for Paris Saint-Germain before some boos were heard in the opening moments of the match.
The 32-year-old is back at the ground for the first time since her departure to the French side in June 2024. Earps has been in the spotlight recently following the publication of her autobiography, ‘All In’.
A passage from the book sparked debate when she revealed details of a discussion with England manager Sarina Wiegman regarding Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. The book claimed that Earps raised concerns about the younger stopper ahead of the tournament.
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According to Earps, Hampton had been ‘disruptive and unreliable’ during Euro 2022, and she is understood to have told Wiegman that selecting the 24-year-old again amounted to ‘rewarding bad behaviour’. The claims drew criticism from England supporters and pundits, which prompted Earps to issue a public response.
Taking to Instagram after the reaction, Earps wrote: “It is not easy to be as vulnerable and open as I have been in the book, and I also understand that my honesty and rawness will divide opinion. That’s okay, everyone is entitled to feel what they feel and I respect that.”
Before the match, the goalkeeper confessed she was bracing herself for a chilly reception at Old Trafford. However, the reality of the evening didn’t quite match her expectations, with Earps only receiving boos when she first touched the ball.
“I’m probably expecting a little booing,” she admitted. “I hope it’s a little bit, but it might be a lot. A few of the fans have come out to support me at PSG, but United is their No.1 team. I understand that.”
When quizzed about the possibility of Earps being booed, United head coach Marc Skinner also stepped in to discourage any potential animosity towards his former player. “Deep down I know Mary is a good person,” he stated.
“I’m sure part of bringing out a book is bringing out controversial stuff that will help sell the book. I know that she has to defend that publicly.
“Knowing the human she is, I’m sure she will be getting criticism that she won’t like. It’s part of the other side of releasing a book.
“But she’s a great person, she doesn’t need me to say that really. I hope people toe the line with criticism, but I’m sure Mary understands the situation she’s put herself in.
“She’s on a platform where people are interested in what she says, so that’s a credit to her and to her hard work. The goalkeeper we had at the start, to the one that left, was not the same person. She transformed.”
Earps will be aiming to disappoint the home crowd with her performance. United are entering the game on a high, having secured two victories from two matches in the Champions League, while PSG are yet to get off the mark in this season’s tournament.
