Manchester United boss Marc Skinner admitted that he was unsure if goalkeeper Mary Earps' final game for the club would be the 6-0 thrashing against league champions Chelsea.
United host the defending Women's Super League champions on the final day of the season, less than a week after laying claim to the team's first major honour since their reformation in 2018.
The bedlam from Sunday's Wembley Stadium triumph was nowhere to be found at Old Trafford on Saturday, as Chelsea raged into an early ascendency and refused to relent in Emma Hayes' final match for the club.
It was a day to forget for Earps, who conceded six against the Blues, with Mayra Ramirez opening the scoring in the first two minutes and Fran Kirby adding the sixth with just five minutes of regular time remaining.
The future of the England No 1 remains uncertain. Earps' contract expires this summer and has been the subject of fierce interest from abroad.
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Asked if Earps had played her last game at Old Trafford at the weekend, Skinner replied: "I hope not. I hope not. They are still conversations that are ongoing. At some point, as a head coach, you have to walk away from that situation and allow your focus to be on the team - and the same with Mary.
"Me and Mary have got a really good relationship and I hope to work with her for many years to come. I'm hoping that we can come to some agreement, but I think it's important we leave Mary out of that situation and the two parties can continue to have conversations away from the player and the head coach."
The tone was similar to that struck by Skinner after the FA Cup triumph. Earps was in hysterics as she celebrated with her teammates, having finally secured a major piece of silverware at club level having done so repeatedly with England.
Mary Earps had a torrid day between the sticks for Manchester United in what could be her final match for the club (2024 AMA Sports Photo Agency)Earps is not the only Lioness at United with interest from abroad, with reports suggesting that midfielder Ella Toone could also depart having caught the eye of reigning Champions League winners Barcelona.
Toone remains under contract with United and has called the club home for most of her career, as well as being one of the original squad members who joined in 2018.
On Toone's potential departure, Skinner said: "I've heard nothing and I'm sure I would have been told if that was the case. From my perspective, everyone knows how important Tooney is to what we do at Manchester United, especially me."
Skinner renewed his own contract with the club earlier this week, signing a new deal that extends his stay for another 12 months. The deal was understood to have been agreed before the FA Cup final victory.
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