Joey Barton admits 'I was wrong' about Mary Earps but hits England goalkeeper with savage new criticism

Joey Barton admits 'I was wrong' about Mary Earps but hits England goalkeeper with savage new criticism

WATCH NOW: Mary Earps wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year

Lewis Winter

By Lewis Winter


Published: 20/02/2024

- 17:06

The outspoken former footballer has given a fresh verdict on Earps

Joey Barton has claimed he was wrong for 'the first time ever' when he said he would score 100 penalties out of 100 against Mary Earps.

The former midfielder now claims he would score 1,000 spot-kicks in a row against the England women's goalkeeper.


Barton has grabbed headlines in recent months with his controversial opinions on women's pundits in men's football.

He singled out Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward for criticism, claiming they were 'the Fred and Rose West of football commentary'.

Joey Barton and Mary Earps

Joey Barton has admitted he was wrong about Mary Earps but hit her with more criticism

X/Getty

Barton also criticised the public's decision for Earps to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in December.

Earps picked up the crown for her performance at the Women's World Cup last summer, where she excelled for the Lionesses and saved a penalty in the final they lost to Spain.

In reaction to the award ceremony, Barton wrote a series of posts on social media platform X.

He claimed it was wrong for Earps to win the award and said: "I'd score 100 out of 100 penalties against Mary Earps. Any day of the week. Twice on a f****** Sunday."

Earps was in action for Manchester United at the weekend in their 3-1 Women's Super League defeat at Arsenal.

She conceded a penalty from Gunners skipper Kim Little and Barton happened to be watching the match at the time.

Speaking on his podcast Common Sense with Joey Barton, the 41-year-old took back his original claim about scoring 100 penalties but returned with a brutal new verdict.

Barton said: "As I flick back over, there's a penalty. Arsenal have got a penalty and Mary Earps is in goal.

"I famously said I'd have scored 100 out of 100 penalties against her and I must admit I was wrong.

"I have to take that back. First time ever. World exclusive, I was wrong. I would actually have scored 1,000 out of a 1,000 penalties with my left foot against her.

"She wouldn't get near any penalty. She couldn't even get out of the middle of the goal for [Little's] penalty, so she's got no hope in hell of getting a glove to any of mine.

"And they tell me this is the best woman goalkeeper in the world."

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Mary Earps

Joey Barton watched Mary Earps in action for Man Utd Women on Sunday

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Earps won Sports Personality of the Year ahead of England cricket legend Stuart Broad and Athletics star Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

She has since said that her 'biggest disappointment' is that sexist comments aimed towards her and other female sports stars are 'what people across the country think'.

Speaking to Women's Health, and referencing comments on a video about Emma Hayes, she said: "Sport is a vehicle for change, but it's also a representation of society.

"The comments on that [a video of Hayes speaking] are really telling.

Mary Earps

Mary Earps won BBC Sports Personality of the Year in December

Getty

"This isn't just what one person thinks, this is what people across the country think - probably in the world.

"And that's the biggest disappointment to me.

"I don't think there are many women in the world that will have not experienced sexism and misogyny of some kind."

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