Manchester United’s victory over Paris St-Germain was a big result, but conversation before, during and after the Women’s Champions League tie mainly centred on the goalkeepers.
Mary Earps’ long-awaited return to Old Trafford dominated talk — not just for her standing as a player but because of the controversy around the release of her autobiography and the fallout that followed. She started in goal for visitors PSG, while United’s usual number one Phallon Tullis-Joyce was a surprise omission from Marc Skinner’s squad with a facial injury.
That left 21-year-old Safia Middleton-Patel to start only her second game for United — her first appearance in Europe and debut at Old Trafford — tasked with filling big shoes at short notice. News of Tullis-Joyce’s absence reached the squad on matchday, and Middleton-Patel was thrown into one of the club’s biggest fixtures this season.
In front of 14,667 at Old Trafford — the club’s biggest crowd this season — she faced a PSG side that had reached four of the last five Champions League semi-finals. Two minutes in, she was sharply reminded of the occasion when Jennifer Echegini’s powerful strike bounced back off the inside of her left post.
This competition is for Europe’s elite and was a clear step up from Middleton-Patel’s only previous United outing, a League Cup match against second-tier Newcastle United. But she had Euro experience with Wales this summer, which stood her in good stead.
“She was my player of the match. What you can’t measure is the psychological magnitude she has had to jump,” Skinner said. “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 settled quickly, producing a superb second-half save to push Anais Ebayilin’s strike onto the post and out for a corner — just a minute after half-time and shortly after Olga Carmona had equalised to make it 1-1. United went on to restore their lead through Fridolina Rolfo, adding to Melvine Malard’s earlier 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,” Skinner added. “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 will always be part of the history in our first Champions League game at Old Trafford. She deserves that romantic part, because that’s lovely.”
While Middleton-Patel emerged as the standout by the end, Earps was the primary focus before kick-off. A mural of Earps painted outside Old Trafford after her Euro 2022 heroics carried a “Welcome to Manchester” message that felt ironic as she walked out in the opposition colours in heavy rain.
Earps had been a heroine to many during her time at United, playing a key role in the club’s FA Cup victory and rise up the WSL. This time she was an opponent arriving amid controversy and was booed when her name was announced. More boos followed when she touched the ball, mixed with some cheers from loyal fans, but by full-time she received the adulation of the Old Trafford crowd as she walked along the stands applauding and was warmly received.
“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,” PSG boss Paulo Cesar said. “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 had suggested before the match that United fans might make life difficult for Earps as an opponent but hoped she would still be shown the respect she earned in her five years at the club. When she left the pitch to cheers and hugs from former team-mates, the recent controversy around her book seemed 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,” Skinner said. “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. After the game it was always going to be friendly with Mary, because she was a big part of what we have done – and we should never forget that.”
Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women’s Football Weekly podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus find interviews and extra content from the Women’s Super League and beyond on the Women’s Football Weekly feed.
