Mary Earps returns to WSL with London City and faces Manchester United on opening day

Mary Earps is back in the Women’s Super League — and her first competitive match with London City Lionesses is against Manchester United, the club where she spent five years before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.

The England goalkeeper described herself as “very, very happy to be home” after two seasons in France, admitting she had missed the atmosphere around women’s football in England as well as more personal comforts. “I missed the English comforts, my friends and family and a Percy Pig or two!” she said.

Earps was candid about what drew her back. While she valued the experience of life in Paris — “the Parisian way of life” and the chance to step away from the intense spotlight she had faced in England — conversations with London City ultimately convinced her the time was right to return. “I went away to push myself out of my comfort zone and get a different football and life experience. I’ll carry that with me forever,” she said. “Distance makes the heart grow fonder.”

The opening-day reunion with United carries extra weight given recent history. Last season, PSG were drawn against Manchester United in the Champions League, and Earps received a warm reception on her return to Old Trafford — a moment she said meant a “great deal” at what had been a turbulent period following the release of her autobiography, in which she detailed her reasons for retiring from international football.

Asked whether facing United again felt like more than coincidence, Earps was wry: “Yeah, like a moth to a flame.” She acknowledged the club has changed since her departure but noted that familiar faces and a loyal fanbase remain. “The fans don’t change — they’re still hardcore as ever.”

Earps has not confirmed whether she will start in goal for London City, framing the competition for her place as a positive rather than a concern. The goalkeeper’s return is one of the more high-profile moves of the WSL off-season, and her debut fixture — should she feature — will be one of the most-watched of the opening round.