'Mary Earps testing my patience!' - Lionesses goalkeeper responds to Christmas-themed jibe from England team-mate Chloe Kelly

Earps and Kelly, along with Chelsea defender Lucy Bronze, have been getting in the festive spirit during a gift-wrapping challenge. A comment made while trying to make a collection of footballs look presentable before they are placed under the tree left Manchester City winger Kelly a little perplexed.

With Kelly struggling to find the end of the Sellotape, Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Earps chipped in with: "Give it to me then, you’ve got bad nails." Kelly and Bronze were left open-mouthed by the quip – which was not intended to be a dig at Kelly’s carefully manicured fingers.

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Earps has taken to Instagram in an effort to reinforce that point, saying: "Bad nails FOR WRAPPING!!! That was so clear in my mind." Kelly had said in a social media post of her own, alongside a video of the quip in question: "Bad nails! Lucy Bronze felt that pain for me. Mary Earps testing my patience!"

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The playful spat was taken in good humour by all concerned, with there no divides to be found in the England camp. That is good news as Sarina Wiegman’s continental champions are preparing for a defence of their Euros crown in 2025.