Joey Barton doubles down in attack on Lionesses hero goalkeeper Mary Earps – insisting he would score ‘1,000 out of 1,000 penalties against her’… and that women’s football’s best teams would not survive in the men’s fifth tier

Joey Barton has renewed his attack on England star Mary Earps, insisting he would score ‘1,000 out of 1,000 penalties’ against the Lionesses goalkeeper in his latest tirade against women’s football.

The former Manchester City and Newcastle midfielder has been intensely criticized in recent months for a series of sexist comments against women, who he claims are ‘not qualified’ to discuss men’s football.

His verbal attacks have also extended to current players, with Earps a regular target.

In the latest episode of his Common Sense with Joey Barton podcast, the former Premier League player slammed Earp’s performance in Manchester United Women’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal Women’s on Saturday.

“I famously said I would have scored 100 out of 100 penalties against her and I have to admit I was wrong,” he said.

Barton claimed he would score 1,000 of 1,000 penalties against Earps

Earps conceded three times as United lost to Arsenal in the WSL on Saturday

‘I have to take that back. First time ever. World exclusive, I was wrong. With my left foot against her I would actually have scored a thousand out of a thousand penalties.’

Barton went on to claim that the England goalkeeper would not get his penalties ‘near’.

“She won’t get anywhere near punishment,” he said.

‘She couldn’t get out of the center of the goal because of Beth Mead’s penalty (against Arsenal), so she has no hope of getting a glove for anyone from me.

“And they tell me this is the best female goalkeeper in the world.”

Earps, who was part of the victorious England squad at the European Championship in 2022, helped the Lionesses reach the final of the Women’s World Cup last year and was voted the tournament’s best goalkeeper.

The United star finished fifth in the women’s Ballon d’Or voting last year and was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in December.

Barton watched Barcelona versus Atletico Madrid (above) on Sunday but was unimpressed

He insisted that the best women’s teams would compete in the National League against their male counterparts

Barton, who won a solitary cap for England compared to Earps ’47 for the Lionesses, initially congratulated her on the award.

But he quickly made an about-face in a series of posts blasting a “culture of snowflakes”, insisting that Earps “didn’t win a sausage” last year and that horse racing legend Frankie Dettori or snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan were more. deserve recognition.

Barton said he watched Barcelona’s match against Atletico Madrid on Sunday, but insisted the best teams in women’s football would struggle to avoid relegation in the National League.

“Barcelona are the best women’s team and the best-paid team in the world, but they wouldn’t win the Conference (as the National League was known until 2015),” he said.

“They wouldn’t stay at the conference. Every women’s team I look at wouldn’t stay in the Conference.”

Barton has been widely condemned – including by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – for his attacks on female football pundits, including comparing ITV’s Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward to serial killers Fred and Rose West.

Last month, British Sports Secretary Stuart Andrew vowed to put pressure on social media companies in the wake of the crisis Barton’s ‘dangerous and disgusting comments’.

But Earps believes the former Bristol Rovers and Fleetwood Town manager’s sexist views are unfortunately ‘a reflection of society’.

Earps was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in December

The English star was named the best women’s goalkeeper in the world last month

In an interview with the March issue of Women’s Health UK magazine, Earps, 30, backed comments from Chelsea Women boss Emma Hayes, who indirectly addressed Barton’s comments, that women’s football is “routinely accustomed to dealing with systemic misogyny to go’.

The Lionesses star said: “Sport is a vehicle for change, but it is also a representation of society.

‘The comments on it (a video of Hayes speaking) are telling. This isn’t just what one person thinks, this is what people across the country are thinking – probably around the world.

‘And that for me is the biggest disappointment.’