Earps named United Women's Player of the Month

Friday 03 February 2023 16:00

Mary Earps has won Manchester United Women’s inaugural Player of the Month award.

In the fan-voted prize for January 2023, the shot-stopper was up against Ona Batlle, Hayley Ladd and Rachel Williams after the quartet stood out in a hugely positive start to the year for Marc Skinner's Reds.

Earps prevailed after earning 34 per cent of the vote, ahead of her trio of outfield team-mates.

The Reds were unbeaten in January, earning wins against Liverpool and Reading in the league before overcoming a tough test in the North East when beating Sunderland 2-1 to progress to the FA Cup fifth round. 

While the 6-0 scoreline in the game against our Merseyside rivals may suggest otherwise, Liverpool did have their spells of sustained pressure, but with the help of our backline, Earps and co avoided conceding.
Perhaps the most special moment of her January came in the game against Reading. A frustrating afternoon in front of goal for us concluded with Rachel Williams’s excellent strike in the closing moments, snatching all three points and propelling us to the top of the WSL table. 

And our no.27 more than played her part in that, performing excellently on multiple occasions to keep the hosts at bay. The pick of the saves came in the lead up to the final 10 minutes when Justine Vanhaevermaet’s glancing header from a free-kick forced Earps into a fine save at full stretch to deny an almost certain goal. 

Another solid display at the back meant we have now picked up a staggering eight clean sheets in 11 Women’s Super League games this season. For Earps, it marked her 50th in the competition – making her the division's all-time leader and the first keeper in WSL history to reach that milestone. 

Earps was in action once again at the end of the month, as we faced Sunderland in the third round of the FA Cup. While we were unable to keep a clean sheet in a tough outing, our stalwart at the back was on hand to help guide us into the last 16 of the competition where we will face Durham. 

Reading match-winner Williams finished second in the voting with 27 per cent, following her two goals and an assist in January. Ladd (20 per cent) and Batlle (19 per cent) also received a fair amount of the backing in a close debate.

Congratulations on the award, Mary, and thank you to everyone who voted.

Who is your United Women Player of the Month for January?poll

Who is your United Women Player of the Month for January?

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