Man Utd's 'big-time goalkeeper' with big boots to fill

Phallon Tullis-Joyce has large boots to capable astatine Manchester United.

England goalkeeper Mary Earps had held nan position arsenic number 1 since 2019 earlier moving to Paris St-Germain successful nan summer.

During her clip astatine United, Earps was voted nan Best Fifa Women's Goalkeeper twice, having won nan European Championship pinch England and nan Women's Super League (WSL) Golden Glove successful 2023.

Her effect was truthful awesome that Earps became nan first female footballer to person a wax fig astatine Madame Tussauds and location is simply a mosaic of her extracurricular Old Trafford.

But location is simply a caller number 1 astatine United, and head Marc Skinner says Tullis-Joyce, who was signed successful 2023, is fresh to measurement up.

"Phallon is nan champion shot-stopper I person ever worked pinch successful my life," said Skinner.

"She is an unthinkable footballer, an incredibly intelligent quality and I’m really looking guardant to showing you what she tin do for this team.

"She is simply a big-time goalkeeper. That’s why I brought her."

Tullis-Joyce's presence past summertime was a celebrated one. She brought acquisition arsenic a regular starter for erstwhile clubs Reims and Seattle Reign, and has shown glimpses of a cool and composed personality.

However, crippled clip was constricted arsenic she only made 4 appearances - keeping 2 cleanable sheets - successful nan Women's League Cup group stage.

"While I didn’t person overmuch crippled clip past season, I person been nan starting goalkeeper for immoderate large teams," said Tullis-Joyce.

"I decidedly respect nan decisions of my coaching staff. They were besides very transparent connected my domiciled successful nan squad and really they wanted maine to develop.

"I ever felt for illustration I was being prepared, which I was very thankful for. I was grateful for nan chances I had that mightiness person been successful nan shadows but were there."

The New York-born goalkeeper says she was capable to study from Earps and team-mate Safia Middleton-Patel successful training to hole for a large play ahead.

"You could person a laughter successful training sessions. I travel from a superior background. Americans are consecutive to nan point," said Tullis-Joyce.

"Mary is simply a bully laugh, a bully characteristic but she besides very overmuch group nan standards. While we had a laugh, we were very superior and sewage our occupation done.

"We were capable to advancement arsenic a group, moreover though we were each 3 different goalkeepers. We sewage our activity successful and that’s what has prepared maine for this season."

The 27-year-old has had to bide her clip astatine United, but it is yet paying disconnected and Tullis-Joyce hopes to beryllium an illustration to young goalkeepers, arsenic Earps was to her.

"I deliberation I’ve had an absorbing profession but evidently I’m astatine nan steering instrumentality of that. I’ve been a small spot of a precocious bloomer for a goalkeeper," she said.

"Just letting different goalkeepers cognize that you do person clip to fig yourself retired and your way - that's really it’s been for me.

"Maybe connected insubstantial my advancement looks a small slower but you tin still person your time. I still judge that nary matter what property you are, you tin still grow. I’m still learning plentifulness of caller things."

Being Manchester United number 1 inevitably adds pressure, but Tullis-Joyce says she has been alert of it each time successful training - and thing changes.

"Every azygous clip it’s important to springiness my best. That’s what my team-mates demand," said Tullis-Joyce.

"I respect them truthful overmuch truthful want to springiness my champion performances for them. No matter what squad I join, I person a very patient loyalty.

"I emotion to study nan history of nan nine I’m playing for, and this nine has had a beardown 1 successful nan past six years.

"There has been a batch of awesome group present earlier me. I return a batch of pridefulness successful wherever I guidelines correct now."

Aside from winning trophies and keeping cleanable sheets, Tullis-Joyce wants to show her characteristic connected nan transportation this season.

"I want to show my activity ethic," she said. "I want to show my connection skills and conscionable ain it. I want to beryllium a beardown unit astatine nan back. No matter what happens, I want my team-mates to cognize I’m location for them.

"Everyone knows each goalkeeper has a sprinkling of craziness, truthful we each person our ain sort. I conscionable want my beingness to beryllium known.

"I want to show things that possibly group haven’t seen before."