Earps reacts following Lionesses success

In front of a packed-out Wembley Stadium, the Lionesses claimed their second trophy in less than a year as they were crowned the inaugural champions of the first-ever women’s Finalissima. 

Earps – just as she did when Sarina Wiegman’s side was crowned European Champions last summer – played a defining role in their success. 

This time, however, it wasn’t quite as smooth sailing as our no.27 would have hoped.

Ella Toone was on target to open the scoring for England midway through the first half after a well-worked move. 

But moments before the final whistle, Brazil’s sustained pressure in the second period was rewarded with a last-minute goal from AS Roma forward Andressa Alves. 

Unfortunately for Earps, though, it came at the expense of a rare mistake as she fumbled the ball back into the box from an otherwise routine claim.

With the Finalissima heading straight to penalties, Earps had mere moments to dust off that mistake and set herself for the decisive shootout. 

And, as we’ve come to expect from our shot-stopper, she stepped up to the occasion by saving Tamires’s spot kick, setting Chloe Kelly up for the winning goal. 

Earps’s inclusion to the England squad – that are now 30 games unbeaten under Wiegman – has been one that has inspired her game to new heights. 

We’ve seen this not only on an international level but for United too. 

This campaign alone, with the help of her backline, she has kept 11 clean sheets in 17 league games and even became the first goalkeeper to reach 50 WSL cleansheets during our away trip to Reading.

To go on and help England to win on penalties in spite of her earlier error is a real testament to Earps’s mental fortitude – something we can’t wait to witness in the closing stages of this season. 

She was voted FIFA's The Best Goalkeeper for a reason, and last night just provided more evidence as to why.