Manchester United and Tottenham are both looking to win their first-ever Women's FA Cup title when they meet in the final at a sold-out Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

For the first time in 11 years, the trophy will not be lifted by Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City, adding an extra level of excitement to an already historic final. 

United beat Chelsea 2-1 in the semi-final, earning their first-ever victory over the Blues, while Spurs came from behind to beat Leicester City 2-1 in extra time thanks to Martha Thomas' 118th-minute goal. 

It promises to be a tight contest, with very little to separate the sides in the WSL this season - United are fifth in the table, only seven points ahead of Spurs, who sit below them in sixth. 

The two sides have met 10 times in the WSL since 2019-20 and the Red Devils have come out on top, having never lost to Spurs (W8 D2), although their most recent encounter ended 2-2 in April.

Second time lucky for United?

Manchester United are featuring in the FA Cup final for the second consecutive year, having not reached this stage before 2023, and they will certainly go into this tie as the favourites.

They lost 1-0 to Chelsea last season - the last side to lose their first two finals were Bristol City in 2011 and 2013, and the Red Devils will be looking to avoid matching that piece of history. 

Whoever lifts the trophy will be the 18th different winner of the Women’s FA Cup. It will be the first time since Manchester City beat Birmingham City in 2017 that there has been a new winner in the competition.

Marc Skinner would love to bring the title to the red side of Manchester and told the reporters ahead of the game that his side are unfazed by the favourites tag.

“We have to go into this game and make it very business-related. But enjoy the moment, of course, enjoy. We've got to Wembley," said Skinner. 

"We're playing against a team that will be buoyed by that. You get an energy when it's your first final, so you're going to get an energy for that. I think there are ways that you can counteract that, and we have to try and do that. 

"But I'm not expecting this is an equal playing field going into it. And we cannot and we won't underestimate it. We know the job we've got to do."

Skinner has a strong record in the FA Cup with United, winning nine of their 11 matches, and scoring 30 goals (2.7 per game). Their only two defeats came against Man City in the fifth round in 2021-22 and in last season’s final against Chelsea.

However, Skinner believes defeat will only motivate his side to do better this time.

He added: "We have to use it as 'remember, remember', bring back those feelings and give more and give more and give more. There's nobody guaranteed to win this final. Let me be very clear on that. 

"But what we have to do is give everything in order to make sure the performance is worthy of it. And if we do that and use those experiences, the feelings of it to drive us forward, then, you know, hopefully, that will give us a little edge, and that's what you need to win the game."

Spurs a Maiden adventure

Tottenham were promoted to the WSL just five years ago and, since then, have been building and growing.

Their best-ever league standing came in the 2021-22 season when they finished in fifth. Robert Vilahamn took over as manager in July 2023, with Spurs hoping he could bring the success that he had at BK Hacken to the North London side. 

Vilahamn is no stranger to a Cup final and in his time at the Swedish club, he led them to back-to-back Cup finals. Andy Rogers, Spurs Women's managing director, praised the manager's ability when he brought him into the club, saying: "He has a track record of developing players to international level and competing for both domestic trophies and in the Champions League, demonstrating his ability to match our own ambitions and philosophy."

Spurs will feel vindicated in their choice of manager; the Swede has already improved on last season's league position of ninth - their lowest since promotion in 2019 - while also reaching the FA Cup final for the first time. 

Speaking ahead of the game, Vilahamn praised his side's progress, saying: "We all, at a big club like Tottenham Hotspur, want to be winning trophies and competing in these kind of games. 

"To get there, you have to be there and practice these things in life. Now we get a good chance in my first year to play in a final, instead of speaking about playing in a final in the future.

"Now we get that experience. The players will learn how to do it. I'm learning how to coach at Wembley. Our staff members, our social media team, everybody is learning by doing right now. I think that's a brilliant way to develop.

"For us to be here, it's not only luck. It's because we have made some really good choices this year, and last year when they started this renewal of the women's team. Everything is proof we are doing good stuff. We are already in a final, and hopefully, we're going to win a trophy already this year."

With a new team in line to win, he also spoke on the strength of women's football in England, adding: "And if you look at the final and your winner, Tottenham or Man United, I think it's a good thing for this country to get more teams in the league to compete for the trophies because you want to have a competitive league, especially in women's football. 

"There are not so many leagues out there that have so many teams that can win a league or a trophy, and that's why most of the players in Europe want to play in England and not other countries. That's why the coaches want to come here instead of other countries, so it's a big thing."

Ones to Watch

Both teams will have dangerous players in this tie and none more so than the Tottenham captain Bethany England, who is Spurs' top scorer in the FA Cup this season with three goals.

The striker has netted seven goals in her last nine appearances in the competition, including her spell at Chelsea. She featured in three previous finals for the Blues, ending on the losing side in 2016 but winning in 2021 and 2022.

Rachel Williams has scored four goals in four FA Cup appearances this season for United and is averaging a goal every 33 minutes.

She won the FA Cup with Birmingham back in 2012, scoring a 90th-minute equaliser to take the game to extra-time and, despite missing her spot-kick during the shootout, they won on penalties to lift the trophy after a 2-2 draw.

The history books

Sunday's showpiece in the capital will be the 54th Women’s FA Cup final, with none of the previous 53 ending goalless.

Only two have been drawn and decided on penalties - in 1996 when Charlton Athletic won the shoot-out after a 1-1 draw with Liverpool, while in 2012, Chelsea were unable to overcome a very strong Birmingham team, drawing 2-2.

Both teams will be looking to strike first and the team who have opened the scoring in this tie have historically gone on to lift the trophy in 23 of the last 25 FA Cup finals – the exceptions are Charlton vs Arsenal in 2007 (lost 4-1) and Chelsea vs Birmingham in 2012 (drew 2-2, lost on pens).

This tie has all the makings of a spectacular fixture for the fans, the teams and their managers, who will be relishing the chance to make history for their club.

Gareth Taylor has urged Manchester City to step up and seize their moment in the Women’s Super League title race.

Chelsea returned to the summit on goal difference on Wednesday night with a 3-0 win over Aston Villa but Taylor’s team will play twice before the current champions get the chance to add to their 46-point tally.

While Chelsea switch their attention to Champions League semi-final action with Barcelona over the next two weekends, City host West Ham on Sunday before they travel to Bristol City on April 28 with the aim of being six points clear going into May.

Taylor told a press conference: “Wednesday night changed things around a little bit again but of course we play now two games before Chelsea play again, so it is an important moment for us to step up and do our bit.

“That is all we will do. Attack the next game, give it our very best and do what we can.

“Yeah, I’m excited about this next period and think it is a great opportunity for us.

“If we had looked at that at the beginning of the season, knowing that most of the time the WSL goes to the final game, I think it is a fantastic position for us to be in.

“We’ve worked so hard and we don’t want to lose that opportunity. We want to continue with it and take it all the way.”

City will have first-choice Khiara Keating in goal after she was able to shake off the knee issue which forced her to leave England national team duty earlier this month.

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A Women’s FA Cup final dress rehearsal will also take place on Sunday when Manchester United host Tottenham.

Grace Clinton will be a notable absentee due to the terms of her loan at Spurs from United and she will also be unavailable at Wembley on May 12.

Tottenham head coach Robert Vilahamn has made no secret of his desire to keep the England international beyond this season-long loan but his opposite number Marc Skinner talked up his future hopes for Clinton in a United shirt.

Skinner said: “When we signed Grace two seasons ago, it was that we saw this level of potential for sure.

“It’s really interesting talking to people around her and so on, there is still loads more we can give to her and we can keep adding to her.

“But I can’t stress this enough, the whole reason she went on loan was to be able to do that.

“We couldn’t give her the minutes that needed her to be able to do that but she has now proven she is in that space, she has had that exposure and I look forward to welcoming her back to do that for Manchester United.”

Sunday’s other fixture will see third-placed Arsenal host Leicester with the Gunners eager to close the gap on Chelsea, which stands at six points with four fixtures left to play.

Emma Hayes has insisted Chelsea’s motivation to reach another Women’s FA Cup final is not driven by her imminent exit.

It was revealed last November that the Blues boss will end her trophy-laden 12 years club at the conclusion of this campaign to take over as United States manager.

Hayes has entered the home straight of her time at Chelsea and missed out on silverware two weeks ago when Arsenal beat them 1-0 in the Women’s League Cup final.

The highly decorated Hayes courted controversy afterwards when she appeared to shove Arsenal counterpart Jonas Eidevall, but ahead of Sunday’s trip to Manchester United, the 47-year-old played down the impact of her summer departure.

She told a press conference: “I’m absolutely committed to doing everything I possibly can to help the team achieve these goals and I’m looking forward to the games.

“The team want to win for themselves. They want to win for the football club. They want to win for the families. They want to win because they’re winners.

“They’re sick to death of what they need to do for me and that’s fair, it’s not about me.

“It’s about them and us as a collective making sure we maximise the situations we are in.

“There are three pieces of silverware up for grabs and I’m very grateful to be in the position to be competing for them.”

While Chelsea eye Women’s Super League, FA Cup and Champions League success this season, United’s focus is purely on the domestic cup after an inconsistent campaign.

Marc Skinner led United to last season’s final where they lost 1-0 to Chelsea at Wembley and he knows the size of the task at Leigh Sports Village.

“I think their success over the past seasons and beyond is something that everybody wants to replicate,” Skinner acknowledged.

“It’s a tough, tough ask. Everybody goes, ‘you’ve got to beat Chelsea’… well not many teams do.

“I think, from our perspective, we have to give everything in this game and I believe on our day and when we have our qualities and we work hard, we can beat anybody.

“If we do that, then I believe we’ll be in a position to progress into the final of the FA Cup.”

The winner of Sunday’s other semi-final between Tottenham and Leicester will reach a maiden FA Cup final.

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Spurs switched the fixture to their men’s 62,850-seater stadium and boss Robert Vilahamn is desperate to reach Wembley in his first season in charge.

Vilahamn said: “We started our meeting with the journey we are on and that it ends at Wembley hopefully, but then everything else goes back to normal.

“I think if we have a good performance we have a good chance to win and go to Wembley.

“I just hope we can bring so many fans to stadium and make sure we do this together.

“We play for them, we don’t play for ourselves. We want to make sure we have a lot of fans at the stadium and make them proud.

“If we’re going to reach the final, we need them because they give us that extra energy.”

Meanwhile, ninth-placed Leicester will be boosted by the return of goalkeeper Janina Leitzig, who has not played since February due to a shoulder injury.

The Foxes have endured a difficult season with Willie Kirk suspended in March and subsequently dismissed weeks later, which has resulted in Jennifer Foster stepping up on an interim basis.

Foster revealed: “Janina is back at 100 per cent.

“Lize (Kop) has been playing well but it’s good to have both senior goalkeepers back in contention again to push each other.”

Ange Postecoglou has praised the “outstanding” job of Tottenham Women boss Robert Vilahamn ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Leicester.

Postecoglou’s side are away at Newcastle in the Premier League this weekend, which opened the door for the women’s team to play at the men’s 62,850-seater stadium for only a second time this season.

Spurs have already made history during Vilahamn’s debut campaign after they sealed a maiden FA Cup semi-final appearance last month, but they have been backed to go further and reach Wembley by the men’s boss.

“I think Rob and the girls have been outstanding this year,” Postecoglou said.

“You’ve got to remember that they’ve had a disappointing year last year. Rob has come in and he’s changed a lot of things in terms of their football. I can see that they’re building some real belief.

“It’s the semi-final of a cup and it’s great that it’s at the stadium. I’m sure the girls will get plenty of support and they’ve had a great deal of belief to get to this point.

“You need that for a cup run and hopefully that comes out again at the weekend and they get through to a final, which would be great for them and great for our club.”

A penalty shoot-out victory over Manchester City on March 10 sent Spurs into the FA Cup semi-finals.

Vilahamn added: “I didn’t really realise it when we won the quarter-final that it is huge in this country to be the semi-finals for the first time and I am proud of it.

“The girls this year have been great. We are taking some big steps and also making sure we put Tottenham on the map for women’s football to make sure we are up there competing. I love that.

“When the board told us we could play the game there (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium), I was so happy because we want to be there and they want us to play more and more games there.

“It’s the perfect match this game because it’s a big game and we are feeling that we can perform even better in that stadium.”

Tottenham manager Robert Vilahamn has pledged to maintain his attacking approach in the wake of consecutive heavy defeats in the Women’s Super League.

Vilahamn’s side were thrashed 7-0 by Manchester City and 4-0 by Manchester United and now face high-flying Arsenal in the north London derby, just three days after losing on penalties to the same opponents in the Continental Tyres League Cup.

Tottenham have failed to win any of their last 11 games against the Gunners, who are behind WSL leaders Chelsea on goal difference only after beating the Blues 4-1 last week.

“It’s always tricky when you want to be a team that dictates the game and want to show that we have the ball, when you play against one of the top teams in the world,” Vilahamn said ahead of a game which will be staged at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“But when we come to our stadium we want to make sure we try to do it. I’m not going to go there and just try to have a low block and hope that we can counter-attack.

“The main thing is for me to show the fans who come that this team is all about playing the way we want to do it.”

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall likened facing the same opposition in quick succession to a “longer half-time break where you can actually work on things on the training ground” and is focused on ending the year on a high.

“The next game is our most important game and that means 100 per cent of our preparation and focus goes into this game,” he said.

“We are really determined and motivated and trying to end this year on as high a level as possible and hopefully after that can go to a well-deserved Christmas break.”