Leicester’s WSL boss claims their goalkeeper is better than Manchester United’s Mary Earps ahead of Man City top-of-the-table clash

England's Mary Earps has a Euro 2022 winners medal, a World Cup Golden Glove and a The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper award under her belt...

But Leicester boss Willie Kirk insists there is someone in the Women's Super League better than her.

After their difficult 2022/23 season, Leicester permanently signed 24-year-old Janina Leitzig to boost their WSL campaign this year.

The German international has already helped the team to two wins and a hard-fought draw against Manchester United this season.

They sit second in the WSL table behind Manchester City only on goal difference.

And when asked what it was like having one of the best goalkeepers in the WSL on his team, Kirk went so far as to say she was second to none.

He told talkSPORT: «I'm quite happy to go on record saying we've got the best (in the WSL).

»She guarantees you a certain place in the league.

«I said at the time, signing Janina guarantees you do not get relegated — she's that big.»

Leicester saved themselves from relegation on the final day last season as they picked up a 1-0 win over Brighton, sending Reading down to the Women's Championship instead.

They lost their first nine games under manager Lydia Bedford the previous campaign, before former Hibernian manager Kirk was brought in to salvage their season — and salvage it he did.

They ended the WSL season third bottom of the league — a fantastic result given their dire start to their campaign and their highest ever finish.

And part of Leicester's remarkable transformation was down to their signing of Leitzig on-loan in January 2023.

She earned them five clean sheets by the end of the season — a more impressive feat given that they had picked up no clean sheets before her arrival — and all five of Leicester's