Women’s FA Cup final: Why Man Utd should not bend to Chelsea’s will

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Chelsea face FA Cup holders in a repeat of 2023’s final at Wembley on Sunday. Who holds the key to success? And which side is in greater need of silverware?

The holders: Man Utd

Man Utd are making a compelling case as FA Cup specialists having featured in each of the last three Wembley finals. Sunday’s meeting will be a repeat of 2023’s showpiece, won by Chelsea, but only settled by a single goal – Sam Kerr with some solo magic in the 68th minute.

Drill down into the detail and it’s clear why Marc Skinner felt aggrieved over the result. United enjoyed a greater share of possession, better passing accuracy and landed more shots on target. Chelsea didn’t even manage to generate a corner.

But none of that really mattered in the end. Kerr scored a wonderful winner, celebrated with a trademark backflip, and Emma Hayes’ side lifted the trophy as if it were destined to be theirs.

United’s ambitions have grown considerably since then, though, and each attempt to settle a score has been more fiercely contested, until finally, after five years of trying, they got the better of Chelsea at the semi-final stage last season. And went on to beat Tottenham 4-0 in the final.

It was the first time since 2005 that a team other than Arsenal, Chelsea or Man City had won the competition. Lifelong United fan Ella Toone lit up the home of football with a screamer and United won by the biggest margin of victory since Wembley began permanently staging the final. It felt like the perfect culmination after years of toil.

Another year on, and Skinner is still fixated on “revenge”. Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports in March the United boss – now the WSL’s current longest-serving manager – said his only regret about recent campaigns was not being more ruthless. He was speaking of the club’s progression generally but the sentiment is indicative of performance on the pitch, too.

Man Utd are a more complete side than they were in 2023, with a better balanced squad capable of running any team close. Of course champions Chelsea are no ordinary team, untameable in many ways, but that’s part of the challenge and the fun. This should be a game with everything you could possibly want from a trophy decider with inevitable bite.

The challengers: Chelsea

Even after Chelsea’s won their latest WSL title with games to spare, there was one buzzword that kept coming up – unbeaten. And so far, domestically, they are yet to lose this season.

The first milestone was winning the League Cup, which they did against Man City in the March final.

Chelsea then became the first team in a 22-game WSL season to avoid defeat – say it quietly, not even Emma Hayes achieved that – on their way to a sixth successive league title.

Now there’s one more trophy to complete the treble and go an entire domestic campaign without losing – the FA Cup.

As chronicled above, Man Utd were the opponents for their last triumph and their most recent defeat in the competition, beating them in 2023 final, but losing last season’s semi.

Up until that point, Chelsea had a monopoly on the FA Cup, winning three successive titles between 2020 and 2023. It formed part of their last treble winning campaign in 2020/21, too, albeit the WSL was curtailed due to the pandemic.

Chelsea will go into the game as hot favourites and the pressure will be on them to deliver. Despite the success, the second half of their season has not always brought riveting performances, and yet winning has still come relatively easy.

The club, now part-owned by Serena Williams’ husband and Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, will want to end an already impressive campaign on a fitting high in the capital.

The key tactical matches

The battle of the tough tacklers

Sunday’s showpiece is the second time star midfielder Grace Clinton has reached an FA Cup final, but the first she will feature in. The United youngster enjoyed a breakthrough season on loan at Tottenham last year but was ineligible to face her parent club at Wembley.

This time is different. Since returning to the northwest her influence has continued to rocket, and she is now among the most effective all-round midfielders in the league. The 22-year-old’s numbers, defensively and offensively, are compelling.

She made the second most tackles (86) of any WSL player this season, as well as winning possession in the middle and attacking thirds combined more than any other besides Man City’s Yui Hasegawa. She places eighth for goals scored, the most of any central midfielder.

This weekend she faces what is likely to be a trio of Chelsea enforcers in Keira Walsh, Erin Cuthbert and Sjoeke Nusken. Bompastor will probably only select two of the three to start but any combination is combative enough to prevent Clinton playing.

How she breaks free, peels off into space, drifts and floats into pockets to receive and knit play will surely be crucial to United’s success or failure. Out of possession she is the key disrupter, too.

The wide invaders

Celin Bizet will also be aiming to make an impression in United colours, having featured for Spurs in last year’s final before swapping London for Manchester in September.

The wings are where United thrive. Bizet dominates one side while Leah Galton tends to raid on the other. They are both direct, pacy and hard to stop in full flow.

But Chelsea have strength in the channels, too. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd has been standout all season and improved immeasurably under Bompastor, while Sandy Baltimore has been a revelation since signing last summer. And everyone is well aware of the tenacity Lucy Bronze brings.

Rytting Kaneryd has had the second most touches (132) in the opposition box of any WSL player all season – joint with Chelsea forward Mayra Ramirez – and is way out front for most attacking carries. Her ability to drive Chelsea forwards and break lines is almost unparalleled.

This tie should therefore be full of one-on-ones and fast breaks in the frantic, transactional way every one-off final should be played.

The bold No 9

And finally the chief scorers. Ramirez vs Elisabeth Terland.

Clearly Terland’s goal threat has been more consistent but she’s also played roughly 500 minutes more football than Ramirez has managed during an injury-blighted season.

The Colombian is the ruler of the fast break, launching eight this term, three more than her counterpart, and is clever in the way she draws fouls. If she plays, that ability to attract multiple defenders simultaneously will surely form part of Bompastor’s savvy masterplan.

Chelsea have scored more set-piece goals (11) than any other side this season.

Catarina Macario is worth a mention, too, as a player who has faced her own injury woes since joining the Blues but is capable of settling a high-stakes game with a moment of brilliance. Having spent so long on the sidelines it might well be her time to shine.

This news was originally published on this post .

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