EXCLUSIVE: Mary Earps reveals how she keeps iron-clad focus in dominant games
19.02.2023 - 12:35
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
England started their Arnold Clark Cup title defence with a 4-0 win over Korea Republic on Thursday night. Georgia Stanway, Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo and Lauren James found the net for the Lionesses in their convincing victory over the side ranked 15th in the world.
While there was countless action in England’s attacking third as the Lionesses cultivated 32 shots, 12 of which were on target with Ella Toone, Russo, Stanway and Katie Robinson hitting the woodwork in devastating fashion but what happens at the other end of the pitch when a game is under such tight control?
England’s number one, FIFA best shortlist goalkeeper and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps told MEN how she keeps her focus in games like Thursday night: “It's hard. And a lot of people ask me this all the time and all I say is ‘I just try’.
“I just try and stay as focused as possible because I know, having played in the league a long time and I've obviously been playing for a lot of years now, people can do things out of nowhere. And I think the minute that you forget that… that's normally when you're punished.”
“And that's when you get really frustrated with yourself because what if I had just been a little bit more focused in that moment, or if I expected the unexpected in a way then like that could save that it's the ones that really bug you the most I think so I just try my best to kind of give my all for the 90 minutes or the 120 or whatever's needed.
“I just try and give my absolute all for the team, which doesn't always come up perfectly all the time. But I do my best and so far, the season [at Manchester United] we've gone pretty well and we've done well defensively as a unit.”
Club-wise, United manager Marc Skinner recently admitted he