Women’s FA Cup final LIVE: Chelsea vs Man United latest score and updates – UK Times

“Rebel” Marc Skinner has challenged his Manchester United players to “go through hell” in their quest to retain the Women’s FA Cup at the expense of Chelsea’s invincibles.

He said: “Results-wise, Chelsea are the best team and the hardest team to come up against. If you know anything about us, we are rebels and we don’t like just accepting this is the case.

“I am a rebel, my nature is rebellious so for me, it is about not accepting that just because they have the best resource, they have to be the best team on every occasion.

“When you set yourself up for that challenge and you know you will have to go through hell to get the victory, if you prepare for that, then I believe you can do something special.

“That is something we want to do and something I want this team to do. Of course I believe in our quality to deliver that.”

Manchester United 7 West Brom 0 (fourth round, Jan 11)

Wolves 0 Manchester United 6 (fifth round, Feb 8)

Manchester United 3 Sunderland 1 (quarter-final, Mar 8)

Manchester City 0 Manchester United 2 (semi-final, Apr 13)

United surged into a two-goal lead against their derby rivals at the Joie Stadium.

Celin Bizet scored in the sixth minute before Grace Clinton struck in the 22nd.

Red Devils goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce then thwarted injury-hit City by making an impressive double save in the second half as she tipped Yui Hasegawa’s free-kick against the crossbar before blocking Lily Murphy’s follow-up.

Chelsea 4 Charlton 0 (fourth round, Jan 12)

Chelsea 4 Everton 1 (fifth round, Feb 9)

Chelsea 1 Crystal Palace 0 (quarter-finals, Mar 9)

Chelsea 2 Liverpool 1 (semi-finals, Apr 12)

Another closely-contested game followed as Chelsea needed a stoppage-time winner from Beever-Jones to book their spot in the final.

Bompastor’s side dominated the opening stages and, although Liverpool took the lead in the 21st minute on the break through Olivia Smith’s low finish, Erin Cuthbert levelled on the stroke of half-time.

Chelsea had multiple chances to score in the second half and, with the game seemingly destined for extra-time, Beever-Jones’ late header sent her side to Wembley.

Sonia Bompastor praised Alexis Ohanian’s investment in Chelsea’s women’s team this week, after the Reddit co-founder and husband of Serena Williams put £20m into the club for a reported 10 per cent stake.

“This investment is a game-changing endorsement for women’s game but also for young girls,” Bompastor said.

“It just shows we are in a really great place but we still want to be an even better team, better club, and we want to be one of the best teams in the world.

“That means results on the pitch, but also we want to be a model outside the pitch, we want to make sure that when young girls look at our team they just dream of being one of our players of the future.”

Sonia Bompastor is attempting to win the FA Cup in her first season in charge, having won all four of her domestic finals as a manager with Lyon and Chelsea, but believes the Wembley showdown is “50-50”.

“The fact you can play in front of thousands of people at a historic stadium and win one of the most famous trophies in England, the FA Cup, is something that potentially only happens a few times in your life,” she said.

“I will be really proud for sure, really proud of my players, my staff, but this is a final. “We play Man United, a team which is used to playing in this final now and they are a really strong team.

“They haven’t conceded many goals and I think we need to be reminded of that as well. This final will be 50-50,” Bompastor added said.

Chelsea are unbeaten this season domestically and have won both games against Manchester United 1-0, including the result that secured a sixth straight Women’s Super League title a few weeks ago.

Overall, Chelsea have won 13 of their last 15 meetings with Manchester United across all competitions (D1 L1), with the United losing more games since they became a WSL club in 2019-20 to the Blues (13) than any other opponent.

United’s only win against Chelsea came in the FA Cup semi-finals last season, which denied the Blues a shot at the double in Emma Hayes’ last season at the club.

The road to Wembley has taken opposing paths for Sonia Bompastor and Marc Skinner. For Bompastor, her debut season in England as head coach at Chelsea could not have gone any smoother on the domestic front, as the champions seek to complete an unbeaten treble. For Manchester United and Skinner, a return to the Women’s FA Cup final for the holders is the latest step of a tumultuous journey for the manager in the dugout, but one that he continues to lead.

The question that will follow United – and which won’t be answered in Sunday’s Women’s FA Cup final – is how committed the club is to closing the gap to champions Chelsea. United could rise to the occasion at Wembley, as they did against Chelsea in last season’s FA Cup semi-finals, but it wouldn’t necessarily demonstrate they are ready to compete with Bompastor’s record-breaking side over 22 games.

There is set to be a record-breaking crowd for the Women’s FA Cup final after Wembley said there are no tickets remaining for the match between Chelsea and Manchester United.

The 2023 final between Chelsea and Manchester United broke the attendance record with a crowd of 77,390 attending Chelsea’s 1-0 win.

Chelsea and United were given an allocation of 20,000 each for the 2025 final and the rest of the general tickets have been snapped up.

So the overall attendance could be closer to 90,000 – which would be a record for the competition and a women’s club fixture in England.

Chelsea will be without England star Lauren James due to a hamstring injury but Mayra Ramirez is fit to return. Sam Kerr remains out, having not featured at all this season due to injury.

With the exception of right back Jayde Riviere, Manchester United have a fully-fit squad for the final.

Interestingly, both teams switched formations and played a back-three at the weekend, so there could a surprise or two again.

Chelsea XI: Hampton; Bronze, Bright, Girma, Charles; Walsh, Nusken, Cuthbert; Beever-Jones, Ramirez, Baltimore

Man Utd: Tullis-Joyce; Mannion, Le Tissier, Turner, George; Miyazawa, Clinton; Bizet, Toone, Galton;Terland

Holders Manchester United face treble-chasing Chelsea in the Women’s FA Cup final.

United won their first major honour when they defeat Tottenham 4-0 to win the FA Cup last season, with Marc Skinner’s side also beating Chelsea in the semi-finals that year.

But the Blues have been as dominant as usual under Sonia Bompastor this season, going unbeaten in the Women’s Super League and also lifting the Women’s League Cup.

Victory over United at Wembley would complete an unprecedented unbeaten treble in Bompastor’s first year, with defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals the only disappointment.

United, though, will be playing in their third FA Cup final in a row and will have a score to settle with Chelsea after a 1-0 defeat to them in the 2023 Wembley showdown.