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Manchester United’s victory over Paris St-Germain was a significant one – but conversation before, during and after the Women’s Champions League match was dominated by goalkeepers.
Mary Earps’ long-awaited return to Old Trafford was the talk of Manchester – not just because of her stature as a player – but because of the controversy surrounding the release of her autobiography and the subsequent fallout.
She started in goal for French visitors PSG but her successor as Manchester United’s number one, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, was a surprise omission from Marc Skinner’s squad with a facial injury.
‘I believed in Middleton-Patel’
News of Tullis-Joyce’s absence was passed on to United’s players on matchday, with Middleton-Patel thrust into one of the club’s biggest games this season at short notice.
In front of 14,667 at Old Trafford – their biggest crowd this season – she was tasked with keeping out a PSG side who had reached four of the past five semi-finals in the competition.
Two minutes in, she was given a sharp reminder of where she was when Jennifer Echegini’s powerful effort bounced back off the inside of her left post.
This is a competition for Europe’s elite and was a step up from Middleton-Patel’s only previous appearance for United – a Women’s League Cup fixture against second-tier side Newcastle United.
However, she did represent Wales at this summer’s Euros – experience which clearly stood her in good stead on this stage.
“She was my player of the match. What you can’t measure is the psychological magnitude she has had to jump,” Skinner said of her display.
“From that performance [against Newcastle] to this, how she has matured over the last year, is credit to her and the staff.
“She was just stood at the tunnel [at full-time] and taking it in. Really well done to her. She deserves to stand out.”
Middleton-Patel quickly settled in, showing her pedigree with a brilliant second-half save to push Anais Ebayilin’s strike on to the post and out for a corner.
It came just a minute after half-time, shortly after Olga Carmona had equalised for PSG to make it 1-1. United went on to regain their lead through Fridolina Rolfo, adding to Melvine Malard’s superb early opener.
“When I found out Phallon wasn’t going to start the game, I said I believed in her. I wanted Safia to be herself,” added Skinner.
“She is a good footballer so she calms the build-up. She took it in her stride. I’m honestly really proud of her.
“She had a few nerves and I think [United forward] Rachel Williams did some star jumps with her so she got the energy out. But she took it really well.
‘She was a big part of what we have done’
While Middleton-Patel stole the show by the end of the night, it was Earps who was the focus before kick-off.
The mural of Earps, painted outside Old Trafford following her heroics with England at Euro 2022, bore a ‘Welcome to Manchester’ message which felt riddled with irony as she stepped out in the pouring northern rain in the opponent’s colours.
She was a heroine to many during her time at United and played a key role in the club’s first FA Cup victory, and their rise up the Women’s Super League table.
This time she was a football enemy, arriving in a cloud of controversy, and received boos when her name was read out by the stadium announcer.
More boos followed when she touched the ball, mixed in with some cheers from loyal followers, until she eventually received the adulation of the Old Trafford crowd when she walked along the stands applauding them at full-time, and was warmly received in return.
“A lot of the public has great interest in seeing Mary play. I’m very happy to have a player like her in our team,” said PSG boss Paulo Cesar afterwards.
“The fans here were clearly behind her. At the beginning, perhaps not, but by the end of the game her quality shone through.
“She put in a great performance today and she gives confidence to the team. I’m very happy with her.”
Skinner said in his pre-match media conference he expected the United fans to make life difficult for Earps as an opponent, but hoped she would receive the respect she earned during her five-year spell at the club before leaving in 2024.
When she left the pitch to cheers from the home fans and hugs from former team-mates, the controversy of the past two weeks surrounding her book felt a distant memory.
“It was nice. I said to her at the end to look after herself. Mary is a really intelligent woman and she has been the world’s best so she understands it,” said Skinner.
“It was a lovely atmosphere and she got a cheer when she walked down at the end of the game, and hopefully that helps her in the situation and how she feels.
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