'Making jokes about it at breakfast!' - Keira Walsh reveals Mary Earps is over Netherlands howler ahead of Lionesses clash with Scotland

Manchester United goalkeeper Earps claimed to have let her team down after allowing a shot from Lineth Beerensteyn to squeeze underneath her body and into the back of the net during a must-win Nations League tie at Wembley.

Earps had been handed the Lionesses’ armband in the absence of Millie Bright and was clearly distraught at leaving her team-mates with a mountain to climb in a contest that they would eventually win 3-2. England boss Sarina Wiegman has spoken out in support of Earps, and Walsh says her international team-mate – who saved a penalty in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final – is now able to see the funny side of a rare mistake.

Walsh told reporters ahead of a meeting with Scotland on Tuesday: “Mary has saved us so many times...even me in the World Cup final... She was making jokes about it [the mistake] this morning at breakfast.”

England can still qualify for the 2023-24 Nations League finals, but need results in Group A1 to go their way – with the table-topping Netherlands preparing to take on Belgium. The Lionesses are also now sweating on a place at next summer’s Olympic games in Paris, with there every chance that a united Team GB will miss out on a spot at that showpiece event.