Manchester United forward Grace Clinton will be the club’s most important player this season. 

There are 23 United players who’ve been involved in the 2024-25 WSL season so far and none of them have scored more than Grace Clinton. 

After an outstanding season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, in which the 21-year-old was voted PFA Young Player of the Year and named in the PFA Team of the Year, Clinton has made sure United have taken notice of what she can deliver on the domestic stage.

Her goal contributions have been worth four points to her parent club already this term. Manager Marc Skinner is still tinkering with his midfield composition with Brazil international Geyse returning from injury and Ella Toone struggling for form in front of goal, it makes sense that Clinton has been deployed further forward than we’re used to seeing her. 

Clinton’s smartly timed runs proved fruitful against West Ham and Brighton whilst her frontfoot pressing brought about the winning goal against her former side Everton. As things settle down, we’ll likely see her moved back into a more familiar central-midfield role. This shift could see United have one of the most well-rounded midfield talents in Europe on their books. 

So far this season, Clinton has had more touches in the final third (92), made more ball recoveries (35), had more shot-creating actions (15), won more tackles (12), completed more take-ons (8), won more free-kicks (7), played more through balls (4) and scored more goals (3) than any of her teammates. 

Clinton is also responsible for carrying the ball into the final third (9) and the penalty area (4) more times than anybody else in the side. It’s worth saying that this is not a ‘best of a bad bunch’ set of numbers. 

In fact, Clinton ranks in the top five players in the entire WSL in the majority of those metrics. Any player who can score more goals than Chelsea striker Mayra Ramirez whilst winning more tackles than Arsenal’s Katie McCabe is alright by us! 

The most telling data point is the one concerning carries. Players who can carry the ball into the penalty area are very useful, but players who can carry the ball from deeper areas into the final third and from the final third into the penalty area are worth their weight in gold.

Clinton is one of those rare players and Skinner needs to find a system that allows her to get on the ball in deeper areas to support build-up play, while maintaining her influence in the final third. 

United have other players who can go 1v1, beat defenders and create openings in the final third often enough for them to win the majority of the games that they would expect to win. But they don’t have other players with Clinton’s ability to orchestrate moves from deep and create a platform for the side to generate repeatable attacks. 

Whether it’s playing a “free eights” system with Toone and Clinton dovetailing with a destroyer-type behind or a double pivot which allows Clinton to play as a deep playmaker with a more physical presence alongside her, finding a way to stretch Clinton’s influence through as much of the pitch as possible is key.

Doing this will go a long way to defining United’s season. Clinton’s three goals have come from just 8 shots and an xG of just 1.2 – she’s the second biggest overperformer in the division so far behind only Chelsea’s Johanna Rytting Kaneryd. 

Based on those numbers, and the fact that she scored just four across the whole of last season, we might expect Clinton’s goal scoring to slow down a little as the season goes on. However, other characteristics of her game (the ability to carry through pressure, to force turnovers and enact defence-splitting passes) are much more sustainable. 

United’s summer signing Elisabeth Terland got off the mark in style against Tottenham just over a week ago and she’s currently running at 0.51 xG p90, so there’s little doubt that United will still have firepower as Clinton’s role in the side evolves. 

There will be some level of temptation from Skinner to keep a player who is scoring most weekends as close to the goal as possible, but United have to be smart. They have a serious chance at UEFA Women’s Champions League qualification this season but utilisation of Clinton will play a pivotal role.

Stats provided by RBREF.


Check out our exclusive interview with Alex Scott here:

We’re back again after another spicy WSL weekend. Another historic and record-breaking weekend for the players and the leagues!

Here’s some of our favourite moments, so you can stay to up to date with the action!


Perfection from Parris

Take a look at this header.

You’d be forgiven for missing Parris’ part first time round, but take a look at the slow-motion replay. Watch the specific moment as Parris times her diving leap perfectly to catch a rapid strike from outside the box, redirecting the shot past Tullis-Joyce.

https://twitter.com/BarclaysWSL/status/1847620311849611281

Parris, who was United’s top goalscorer last season (8) and currently sits fifth in the WSL goalscoring chart, has the highest goals per 90 minutes (0.56) out of any player in the top 5.


Roord Really Returns

Manchester City’s Jill Roord scored in the 70th minute against Aston Villa yesterday to secure the Citizens all three points (2-1).

It was Roord’s first goal after returning two weeks ago for the first time since suffering an ACL injury last season.

https://twitter.com/ManCityWomen/status/1848002434221666622

Lauren Hemp, who scored 12 minutes before, got the assist, delivering from the left wing for Roord who slotted home past Sabrina D’Angelo. Hemp picked up the Barclay’s Player of the Month.

City have now won their last seven games in all competitions.


Little’s BIG Achievement

Arsenal captain Kim Little recorded her 350th appearance for Arsenal this weekend against West Ham.

The 34-year-old midfielder, who retired from the Scottish Women’s National Team in 2021, marked the occasion with a fresh pair of special-edition adidas F50 boots which were printed with ‘Congratulations Kim’ and ‘350’.

https://twitter.com/ArsenalWFC/status/1847994931345854517

Little is the fourth-most capped player ever, just seven games behind Jayne Ludlow. Emma Byrne and Ciara Grant lead the way with 459 and 403 appearances respectively.

Arsenal teammate Lia Walti also hit a milestone, making her 100th appearance for the Gunners. Walti becomes the 8th Arsenal player to achieve this.


Le Tissier is feeling 22…

Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier became the youngest player ever to make 100 starts in the WSL.

22-year-old Le Tissier lead her side out on Saturday to a 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion. United currently sit 3rd in the table with 10 points, behind Chelsea on 12 and City on 13.

Only United have conceded just one goal this season – Le Tissier runs a tight ship.


JRK’s GOAL of the season?

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur delivered some incredible late Sunday night drama with seven goals between them both.

We initially thought the biggest talking point was going to be the re-ignition of the goal line technology debate, after Spurs’ Amanda Nilden scored a controversial long-range effort against Hannah Hampton.

But then…up stepped Johanna Rytting Kaneryd with a VERY early contender for goal of the season. The commentators described the goal as “utterly exceptional” and that it was. Watch this…

https://twitter.com/SkySportsWSL/status/1848081350928036138

The 27-year-old set Kingsmeadow alight with the most perfect volley, but her entire night was pretty much flawless, bagging a further goal in the 90+1 minute too.

Needless to say, she picked up the Barclay’s Player of the Match.


Un-Bag-lievable

Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley put in a performance of a lifetime to keep her side in the game against a fierce United side on Saturday.

The Seagulls helpfully put together a montage of the 27-year-old’s best bits…

https://twitter.com/BHAFCWomen/status/1848014308757622940

United registered seven shots on target with Baggaley putting in a shift to keep six good chances out.

Baggaley is one of the most experienced keepers in the WSL, having had spells at Birmingham City, Bristol City, Manchester United and Brighton since 2014. Baggaley was also a part of the England U23 set-up until 2019.

In the first three weekends of the current WSL season, there were three anterior cruciate (ACL) injuries announced by clubs across the league, each on a different weekend: first Everton’s Aurora Galli, and then Everton’s Inma Gabarro, followed most recently by Liverpool midfielder Sofie Lundgaard.

Lundgaard was ruled out with the injury after their match against Tottenham Hotspur, adding to a list of twelve players (including Chelsea’s Sophie Ingle, West Ham’s Jess Ziu and Crystal Palace loanee Jorja Fox) currently ruled out through ACL injuries in the WSL.

This time last year 18-year-old Manchester United midfielder Emma Watson was one of those confined to the sidelines after rupturing her ACL on international duty in September 2023, just a month after signing for the club.

“When it first happened, I knew I’d done something to my knee, but my initial thought wasn’t ACL. My initial thought was, ‘Oh my God, I can’t play tomorrow night,’” the Watson tells She’s A Baller.

“Later that night, I found out that I’d completely ruptured my ACL, along with some other problems in my knee. For the next two hours, after hearing that information, I just completely shut down. I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t talk. I was crying.”

The term ‘ACL’ refers to a band of tissue connecting the thigh bone to the shin bone. It runs diagonally through the inside of the knee to provide stability. A tear to this ligament often requires surgery with recovery taking up to 12 months.

The spike in incidents has motivated Watson to document her own journey to recovery on social media with the hopes that those who follow feel less alone.

“It’s really important to raise awareness of ACL injuries and give an insight into the recovery process that we go through every day, like our feelings. I hope that it can help the next young girl, the next player that then goes through that injury,” she explained.

“I went into it a bit blind and not too sure how hard it was really going to be, how much pain I was going to be in, what the challenges were going to be. I’d seen girls go through this process, but they’re in the gym doing their work while I’m on the pitch training.

Media interest and pledges for more research did increase during a spate of high-profile injuries, including Spanish Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, Arsenal forward Beth Mead and Manchester City forward Vivianne Miedema in 2022.

While initial outrage seems to have dissipated, the injuries have not stopped. Instead of the shock factor that surrounded the aforementioned instances, the mood seems to be an increasing resignation to next the inevitable announcement.

The issue is not confined to England’s top tier as just last Wednesday, the NWSL’s Washington Spirit announced Andi Sullivan had suffered an ACL, while the Championship’s Blackburn Rovers made an identical announcement about Grace Riglar two days later.

The prevalence of the injury meant for Watson, it was a very real fear even before she had experienced it herself.

“For myself, it was always a fear of mine. I played with people that had gone through the injury. In the back of my head, I had this feeling, this fear that it might happen to me,” she says.

However, the “silver lining” appeared in the bonding opportunity it provided with the United teammates she rehabbed with, 27-year-old defender Gabby George and 19-year-old defender Jess Simpson.

“I don’t think I could have gotten through it without them. Our relationships have grown a lot closer because we’ve seen the good days., we’ve seen the bad days and we’ve seen the in-between. There’s just this special bond that we have now,” Watson reflects.

“It’s terrible that they had to also go through that injury, but we’d always lift each other up. If people were feeling a bit down that day, there were always people I could talk to.”

The latest spate of ACL injuries comes amid increasing criticism of a packed schedule with Miedema and former Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall both separately speaking out. Arsenal will play five games in 15 days during October.

It is part of a broader overload in women’s football that has seen a major international tournament every summer since 2020 if you include the Olympics, with little let up as Euro 2025 approaches.

“We don’t know the main cause of an ACL injury. There’s talk about it being the menstrual cycle. There’s talk about it being overload. Sometimes it just happens in a tackle and you can’t do anything about it,” says Watson.

“I think it’s about prevention. What can we do as players, clubs and individuals to help prevent this injury? Warming up properly, doing strength exercises, balancing work, and just doing everything we can to prevent these injuries from happening.”

For now, prevention may well be the only way forward before long-term research can even begin to provide answers to answer the inevitable why. Most importantly, player welfare must be prioritised so weekly announcements do not become an accepted part of the game.

We’re back again after another spicy WSL weekend AND the Women’s Championship. Another historic and record-breaking weekend for the players and the leagues!

Here’s some of our favourite moments, so you can stay to up to date with the action!


Tooney becomes an all-timer

Manchester United midfielder Ella Toone became the first outfield player to appear in 93 consecutive WSL games for the same club (credit: Opta).

https://twitter.com/ManUtdWomen/status/1845497474904936563

And what a 93rd game it was, with Yaanited securing all three points against Tottenham Hotspur in a confident 3-0 win.

The 25-year-old has been with United since 2018, making over 120 appearances and scoring 40 goals. Toone also spent five years with United’s youth team between 2007 – 2013.

It’s fair to say, she’s United through and through and those stats prove it!


From one Blue’s boss to another…

Former Chelsea manager and USWNT boss Emma Hayes was spotted in the stands this weekend, watching on, as her former side defeated Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates.

Post-match, Hayes and current manager Sonia Bompastor took one of the most iconic selfies of the season so far…

https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCW/status/1845484619690279126

Following the game, Bompastor was asked about Hayes’ presence at the game. She said: “We have a good relationship. She came because she had some players from the US. She’s maybe happy with the win because she feels like a Chelsea fan. She has a new job so maybe she has some advice for me?”

The Blues have won all three WSL games under Bompastor so whatever the advice, it’s working!


The Championship made waves

We’re six games into the Women’s Championship but this weekend delivered something special.

The Sunderland v Newcastle fixture, which took place at the Stadium of Light yesterday afternoon, attracted a record-breaking crowd of 15,387.

https://twitter.com/BarclaysWC/status/1845522512999845915

Newcastle picked up the points (2-1) much to the disappointment of home fans, but both sides provided a feisty battle.

The attendance figure smashed the previous 11,137 Women’s Championship record created in November 2022, during the Sheffield vs London City Lionesses fixture.


It’s Ramirez’s world. We’re just living in it.

Mayra Ramirez set the Emirates alight this weekend with a strong contender for Goal of the Month.

In front of 45,860 fans, the Colombia international pulled off a beautiful bicycle kick in the 4th minute to set the Blues fans alight.

https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCW/status/1845091494786375865

Feel free to watch that again… To celebrate, Ramirez pulled off one of the coldest celebration so far this season.

https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCW/status/1845087304081080465

Needless to say, Ramirez picked up Chelsea’s Star of the Match.


Bunny bags a brace

Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw dominated headlines yesterday, bagging two goals against Liverpool to secure a vital three points for her side.

After going 1-0 down before half-time due to a beautiful strike from Olivia Smith, Shaw went two better in the second-half, scoring in the 58th and 90+2 minutes.

https://twitter.com/ManCityWomen/status/1845508283563491627

Bunny picked up the Barclay’s Player of the Match award and ensured she maintained joint top spot in the WSL top goalscorer list with three goals and one assist in four games – on par with Brighton’s Kiko Seike and Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly.

Welcome to She’s A Baller ‘Point of View’. This SAB original series sees us speak with the most iconic heroes and names in the women’s football space.

We’re doing things differently. We love goals and saves but this series explores the real people behind the player. What makes them tick, what are their biggest fears, where do they see themselves in ten years time and how do they really feel about some of the most controversial moments in recent women’s football history…

In our first Point of View episode, we sat down with a World Best. A player who has achieved monumental mainstream status, known for her advocacy, beautifully honest views and fearless personality.

Of course, it’s Mary Earps.


SAB: Can you tell us about where your from and your childhood growing up? 

Mary Earps: That’s a big question to start! I’m from Nottingham originally – born and bred. My childhood was pretty steady. I’ve got a younger brother and sister. I played a lot of football with my brother and dad growing up.  

I spent most of my childhood in the garden or at the pitches at Alfred Road, which was around the corner from where I lived. It was just school, homework, football on repeat. 

SAB: What was your relationship like with your parents and siblings – are you close?

Earps: My family have seen where I’ve been and where I’ve come from and have watched my football journey from the beginning to now.  

I definitely wouldn’t be in the position I am today if it wasn’t for my parents driving me here, there and everywhere, to Leicester and back, and all the way around the country really for my football. Definitely my brother and my dad were a big part of my football journey growing up. 

SAB: How often do you get to see them now? 

Earps: Not too much! Obviously I live in Paris now. It’s tough to get home and that’s one of the sacrifices of being a footballer – you don’t really have too much of a life – it’s very full on.  I get home as much as I can but it’s not as much as I would like. 

SAB: Who were your biggest role models growing up? 

Earps: My family were a big part of the values instilled in me. Football wise – I loved watching football and studying different types of goalkeepers.  I liked that there was no right way to do things.  

You’d watch the Premier League every weekend and have Tottenham Hotspurs’ Hugo Lloris doing it one way, Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer and then Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon doing it completely differently.

SAB: Do you think goalkeeping has changed – has it become a more demanding position? 

Earps: It’s changed massively since I was a kid. There’s lots of elements to it now. A big focus is distribution and playing out from the back – that’s probably due to Ederson and Manchester City’s way of playing.  

That’s the beauty of goalkeeping – everyone does it a different way and has different strengths and different ways of imposing themselves on a game. I love watching the differences across the men’s and women’s game – there’s no real textbook on it. The beauty is the uniqueness. 

SAB: What is the ‘Mary Earps’ style of goalkeeping? 

Earps: Super passionate. I try and do whatever I can to help the team. I put my body on the line. I’m a big communicator and organiser.

I’d like people to think I play with courage and bravery and a lot of heart. 

SAB: The fans love your passion and energy. They’ve gone as far as to call you ‘Sweary Earps’. How important is it to you to be able to show your personality on the pitch? 

Earps: It’s important for me to be unapologetically myself and be authentically who I am. Growing up, maybe I was scared to be vulnerable or to show who I was and I tried to fit in.

I am what I am. That’s why I have a good relationship with the fans – they see me as just being a goof ball or being sad or happy. I don’t try and fake it. I’m just really grateful to have the support of incredible fans and people and long may that continue. 

SAB: Advocacy has been a big part of your career – how important has this been to you? 

Earps: It’s important. I try and lead by example. But, to be honest, it’s a tough role to play. It’s a fine line between voicing your opinion and standing up for what you believe in. Especially when you’ve got a platform and a voice that can be heard, you want to try and represent people in the right way.  

I always want to use my voice for good and not evil or selfish reasons, but for the good of the future generations. But you can be viewed as too vocal or a trouble maker or always complaining about something.  

You have to be secure in what you’re fighting for and secure in who you are as a person. With being vocal, there comes with quite a lot of criticism, but I hope that people see what I try and do and see that I’m trying to create positive change.

I hope that the future generations of young footballers will feel the benefit of that. 

SAB: When you’ve stuck your head above the parapet, have you ever felt nervous about the consequences? 

Earps:  Yes for sure sure – you don’t know what the outcome is going to be. The reality is that, if you put your neck on the line and people chop it off at the block, it’s not a great feeling. That’s always the risk of being prepared to stand up for something – sometimes you might need to do that alone. 

And people don’t see a lot of the things that go on behind the scenes. There’s normally a lot of preparation work or a lot of quiet conversations going on before the big, loud conversations happen.

Of course it can be tough. It can also take a lot of energy because you’re spending a lot of time trying to articulate yourself in a certain way or speaking to people you trust.  

It’s not as simple as it looks but as long as I can create positive change, then I hope I can brave enough to continue to do all those things. 

SAB: How do you cope in those moments and where does your support network fit into that? 

Earps: It’s about relying on the people around you and being able to talk to people openly. I struggled for a long time to be able to open up and be vulnerable. I saw it as a weakness for the longest time but now I feel much more comfortable now sharing concerns or anxieties I may have.

I have incredible people in my life who give me a balanced opinion and will tell me to shut up when I’m not talking about anything important. But they will also lift me up if I need it and advise me and give me the courage to do the things I have. 

SAB: What’s the one thing you’d change about the women’s football industry? 

Earps: That’s a tough one. 

SAB: Ok, we’ll give you multiple choices…

Earps: The game is in a really good place if you compare it to where it was 10 years ago. There’s been a lot of significant change but, in all honesty, everyone associated with the women’s game can appreciate the progression, but also that there’s a long way to go and also a lot of battles and wins to be had.  

Sometimes, social media makes it look like it’s all sunshine and rainbows and roses but it’s not like that. There’s a lot of fantastic things about the game. I love what I do and the fact that I get to do this for a job – I never pictured I’d be able to do this for the longest time.  

It’s taken me all over the world, to incredible places to meet incredible people. But there’s still plenty of change to be made. Over the next couple of years I’d like to see the game being produced on TV better than what it currently is.  

I would love to see replays, cameras with better quality, more camera angles. I had a conversation a couple years ago about the difference between the amount of cameras in a Premier League game and the amounts used in a WSL game. I can’t remember exact numbers but it was multiples. 

For me, one of the beautiful things about the men’s game, is that it’s a constant source of debate and discussion. I don’t think we can have those levels of discussions in the women’s game.

For example, in a situation where goal line technology isn’t being used, how do we tell if the ball is over the line or not? If you’re watching Match of the Day, there would be different levels of analysis available – being able to judge the speed of the ball or using animations to show you multiple versions of one moment in time and we don’t have that in women’s football.  

There’s an element of investment and profit margins which I get, but it doesn’t allow for accurate discussions and debates. So what happens is that whoever is there at the game, their opinion gets imitated by lots of other people.

When you watch men’s football pundits going at it (and sometimes giving verbal assassinations), it’s fun and entertaining, but in women’s football we can’t see the game in the same way yet. 

SAB: You’re the face of a major bread brand, an ambassador for an international lingerie brand. You’re in Madame Tussauds – how does it feel being such a house hold name? 

It’s a surreal feeling – I definitely never grew up expecting this or wanting this. My biggest dream was to represent my country at a major tournament and be lucky enough to win a few trophies. I used to write stories as a kid – and my mum probably still has them somewhere – of me playing at a World Cup. I was so grateful I was able to fulfil that dream last year. 

I don’t think too much about the rest of it. I’m grateful to have that connection with people and to hear their stories and that maybe the Lionesses or my goalkeeping journey has inspired them in some way.

Hearing people getting back into football after they fell out of love with it for a long time ago or being able to speak about their journey with their own health issues, anxiety and worries – I’m grateful that I can be a small part of that in some way.

SAB: As fans become more interested in players’ lives, do you ever feel that it’s becoming more difficult to remain your privacy and keep a private life? 

Earps: Yes, the game has changed a lot in the last couple of years -really dramatically. This was never a topic a couple of years ago. We went from playing in front of 50-100 people and to now playing in front of 60-80,000 people regularly.  

But with that, and it becoming more well known spoken about – which is what we’ve been fighting for – comes things we never anticipated. It’s hard being in the public eye, trying to have your own space, time and private life.  

I understand the eagerness to interact with players – I enjoy interacting with fans, but sometimes it’s difficult to have that boundary between Mary Earps the footballer and just Mary who is just chilling or going to the shops.  

I understand it from a clubs point of view. For me as a player, I want to give fans as much time as I possibly can. I enjoy that interaction and super grateful they come to the game and I want to show that appreciation. But it’s impossible to get round to everybody.

I’ve definitely had instances where I’ve been criticised. You sign a few hundred autographs, but the hundred and first person is unhappy and that’s always difficult. I’ve had instances of people banging on car windows or trying to grab you in moments….physical touch is always a difficult one. As much as you try and give as much energy as you can back, sometimes it feels like it’s not enough.  

Manchester City did an ‘autograph alley’ which was an interesting concept. When I spoke to the City players, they seemed to really like that approach and it achieved a good balance. It’s hard to manage the frustration fans sometimes feel but also recognising that the football comes first – hopefully they feel happy with the product they see. 

SAB: Let’s discuss the move from Manchester United to PSG – can you talk to us about your experiences at United?

Earps: I was at United for five years and I’ve been fortunate to have lots of incredible memories there. Playing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, winning the FA Cup last season. I developed a lot as a player and person there. I met some incredible people who I will stay friends with forever.  

Sometimes you need a change and I felt moving to PSG was the best thing for me. I hope it will bring another level out of me as a player. That’s what it came down to in the end.  

SAB: Why PSG out of all the other clubs that may have shown interest in signing you? 

Earps: I heard the vision and ambition of PSG. We had a presentation where they outlined that they want to be the best team in the world on and off the pitch. That really excites me – that’s where I want to be.

It’s a super talented team. I’m excited to be a part of it with players who are really going to challenge me every day, whilst it is also a different language, culture, training environment.

I have this thing in my head where I want to be pushed to my absolute maximum and I don’t want to leave anything on the table. I don’t want to ever look back and think, ‘Oh if I only I was brave enough’ or ‘If I’d only got another 1% out of myself’. I want to max out on all the percentages I’ve got in my locker before it’s time to call time – the careers go quick and they’re short.  

SAB: How are you adjusting to life in France – can you give us an update? 

Earps: Where do I event start! Summer was a rollercoaster. I was in France for 3 weeks and then headed to Australia for 10 days! 

It’s so difficult with the language but hopefully I’ll learn and get better. I’m making a lot of effort – the girls will vouch for me! 

It’s been nice to have the girls back from the Olympics, to bond as a team and get some minutes on the pitch. It’s a tough adjustment. As much as I’d like to sit here and tell you how great it is, which I’m really enjoying, there’s a lot to think about and a lot of change.  

SAB: What’s been the biggest change? 

Earps: Things are run very differently. When you’ve been somewhere for five years, you know everything – where to be, what the club are building, where the parking is meeting times, when to weigh-in!

It’s just a whole load of information at once and trying to remember it all, as well as trying to set up a bank account, get a social security number, residency pass, set-up wifi and finding an apartment whilst you don’t speak the language – it’s been interesting… 

As soon as you feel settled off the pitch, you feel settled on the pitch and you can perform better. They really do link. It’s been a whirlwind! 

SAB: What do you do with your spare time in Paris? 

Earp: It’s very ‘Emily in Paris!’ No, I’ve only had one day off in Paris so far and it consisted of rest, sleeping, recovery and not a lot else. Also, errands and the supermarket.  

The first week or so, I spent a lot of time, trying to find out where to live, apartment hunting, driving around. Not quite as romantic as cycling around with baguettes in the basket yet, but maybe when I’ve got some downtime!

SAB: Do you still keep in contact with a lot of the MU players? 

Earps: Yes, I’ve spoken to Tooney recently and my goalkeeper coach at United. He’s been getting Mary Earps podcasts – which are 8-9 minute voice notes. My teammates don’t enjoy these but my former coach puts up with them.  

Voicenotes is how I’ve been keeping up with people, especially when I was in Australia with the time difference.

SAB: We’ve all seen the issues this summer around Blackburn and Reading. Do you think there is a misconception amongst mainstream media that women’s football is in a better space than it actually is? 

Earps : Definitely. Sometimes the women’s game is described as being in a good place but the reality is that that might only apply to a few clubs. Some clubs are still struggling.  

The Reading story was especially devastating as an ex-player and I coached there for a little while. You feel really helpless. I knew a few players and staff members that were still there. It’s gutting to hear clubs going through that – it’s the ugly side of the business. Men’s clubs also experience these kind of things – bankruptcy for example. 

But in women’s football, it just hits home a little bit more. It could be you or your teammates going through that. But there’s also a lot on the line as a female player, because the lifestyles and salaries aren’t the same. It’s their whole livelihood, the opportunities are fewer and maybe you can’t travel to other clubs. 

The game is going in a great direction but let’s not forget, there’s still a lot of work to do in making the game sustainable at all levels and not just focusing on one league at the top. How can we focus on lower leagues and grassroots – that’s where a lot of people come from and learn their craft. Without those leagues you wouldn’t have the top leagues so it’s really important we focus on the whole ecosystem.

SAB: Bit of a quick-fire now. Who is the most difficult player you’ve ever played against? 

Earps: Former Germany international and Lyon midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsán. That’s been the most consistent answer I’ve given throughout my career and I’ve played against some incredible players.

She was the first player I played against, when I was at Bristol Academy – we played against her in Frankfurt in the Champions League. She hit a free kick and the ball hit the bar before I’d even seen it, it was that quick.  She stood out.  

SAB: Biggest highlight of your career? 

Earps: Winning the Euros – hands down and nothing comes close. 

SAB: Your biggest challenge, regret, mistake? 

Earps: I don’t believe in regrets. Everyone does everything with the best intentions at the time. Mistakes happen in life. It’s normal, it’s part of who you are.  

If I could change anything or one scoreline, I would somehow win the World Cup against Spain last year. If I had a magic wand or time machine, that would be the one.

I love playing for my country, win, lose or draw but you play to win. Spain were an incredible team and worthy winners, but to play in a World Cup final and to win, would’ve been the icing on the cake. But you can’t win everything… although maybe ask Aitana Bonmati, she seems to win everything! 

SAB: What does life look like after football for you?  

Earps: Hopefully just happy and healthy, with a family, living a nice, little life. As carefree as possible.  

I love Paris but I’m not sure where I’ll be. I’d love to own my own business – I like the freedom of that and being my own boss but I’m not sure what that looks like, so watch this space…  

You can watch the full Point of View episode here:

There’s been so many games to watch across the weekend, spanning from Friday night under the lights to Sunday afternoon, around the same time you’re tucking into your roast.

We know it’s hard to keep up sometimes, so we’ve put together some of our favourite heart-warming moments, so you stay to up to date with the action.


Jill Roord returns from injury

Manchester City midfielder Jill Roord returned from injury yesterday, stepping onto the pitch for the first time in 249 days.

Roord sustained an ACL injury in January 2024 and has been sidelined since then. But this weekend, she replaced Vivianne Miedema in the 80th minute against Brighton to a huge round of applause from both sets of fans.

After the game, Roord paid special thanks to the medical team for all their help in getting her back to what she loves doing most.


Clinton’s 100% scoring record

There’s been a lot of hype around 21-year-old Grace Clinton since she was loaned to Tottenham Hotspur last season. This season, she returned to her parent club Manchester United and in two games has shown why she deserves to be back in the fold.

As starts to the season go, things could not have been better for Clinton who has scored in both WSL matches. Last weekend, she scored against West Ham (53rd minute). This weekend she scored the team’s only goal against Everton in the 4th minute, securing three points. And what a goal it was…

https://twitter.com/BarclaysWSL/status/1840378959973785620

Chelsea v Man Utd postponed to allow for Champions League preparation

Scheduling is one of the hottest topics in women’s football. Time and time again we hear (understandable) complaints from players and clubs about how little preparation they have for games when three fixtures come within the same week.

The conversation becomes even more charged given the spate of recent ACL injuries, with overloading thought to be at least one of the factors in this career-halting injury.

But the WSL has spiced things up this year and given a huge nod to the approach they will be taking going forwards – putting player welfare front and centre.

The Chelsea v Manchester United WSL fixture scheduled for 6th October has been postponed to give Chelsea players enough time to prepare for their Real Madrid UEFA Women’s Champions League group-stage game on the 8th October.

It’s not ideal for those fans who may have already made plans or spent money to attend the fixture, but it’s a welcome move to ensure the UWCL stays as competitive as possible and that every effort is taken to ensure injuries are reduced.


Olivia Smith gets on the score sheet

Twenty-year-old Smith was one of Liverpool’s hottest signings this year. She was also a record-breaker. Liverpool sealed her transfer from Portugese side Sporting Lisbon for almost €250,000 (£210k).

The forward has started for Liverpool in both games this season. First against Leicester last weekend (1-1) and this weekend against West Ham (1-1).

Smith made her mark this weekend with a beautiful debut goal…

https://twitter.com/BarclaysWSL/status/1840394403837251869

Smith was unfortunate not to be selected for the 2024 Paris Olympics squad but she’ll be working towards building a few excellent WSL seasons to secure her spot for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. In the meantime, she’s showing Liverpool why she was worth her fee.

Click here for more on Olivia Smith: https://shesaballer.co.uk/wsl-young-ballers-on-the-rise/


Millie Bright’s one year captaincy anniversary

The 31-year-old captain celebrated her one year anniversary as Blues captain this weekend. Bright took over the reigns from Magda Erikkson who left Chelsea to join Bayern Munich in summer 2023.

https://twitter.com/ChelseaFCW/status/1840421329524129962

Bright, who also celebrated her ten year anniversary with Chelsea this season, has overseen a hugely successful time for the club. This year, she captained the club to a 7th WSL title and has helped the team overcome the turbulence of Emma Hayes’ departure.

Chelsea have made a strong start to the season, beating Aston Villa 1-0 in the opening game and Crystal Palace 7-0 on Friday. There’s a long way to go but Bright is well-versed in long seasons, determination and maintaining high standards.