Adobe Women’s FA Cup final Preview: Manchester United vs Tottenham | Sunday, May 12
Marc Skinner’s Manchester United Women’s side are finalising preparations ahead of their highly anticipated Adobe Women’s FA Cup final meeting with Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Sunday.
The Reds, fresh off the back of a hard-fought victory over Chelsea in the semi-final, aim to go one step further than last season – having lost out to Emma Hayes’s outfit by the narrowest of margins in front of a record-breaking crowd of 77,390.
Skinner’s side has endured a mixed domestic campaign, currently sitting fifth in the Women’s Super League and 17 points behind leaders Manchester City.
Thankfully, their knockout form has seen a different level of performance, dispatching Newcastle United, Southampton and Brighton en route to that famous victory against the Blues in April.
What the manager said
Speaking to reporters ahead of the historic showpiece, the United manager acknowledged the threat posed by the opposition. “Tottenham have players that have experienced finals before, so you know those players won’t be overawed,” he told the club’s official website.
“But it can be a moment where it can absorb you and it can affect the way that you want to play. And look, we’ve got to make sure that that’s how we play.
“We’ve got to make sure that we’ve been there, we’ve done it. It has to be a business for us. 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.”
Team news
Skinner has not supplied any damaging information regarding his squad. “As far as we’re aware as we sit right now, everybody – barring the longer-term injuries – is available, so that is positive news. Everybody’s available for the squad, and that’s nice going into a final.”
Supporters can look forward to seeing Jayde Riviere in action. The defender returned in the Reds away defeat to Liverpool in the WSL at the weekend, gaining a valuable 30 minutes to finish the game.
The Londoners are eyeing a first victory against the Reds and will have a full group chomping for involvement.
Spurs manager Robert Vilahamn has no injuries to report within his squad, with tremendous anticipation ahead of a showpiece fixture where every player will be eager to impress in front of a jam-packed audience.
Previous encounters
The sides shared the points on April 21, with an enthralling 2-2 draw thanks to a late Maya Le Tissier leveller. That was the eleventh time the sides have met since United’s 4-1 home win in the Women’s Championship in November 2018.
History bodes well for the Reds, with an imperious head-to-head record of nine victories and zero defeats. It is worth noting that despite the favourable results, the gap between the sides has closed with each encounter since their promotion to the WSL in 2018.
Details ahead of Sunday’s showpiece
With tickets sold out for the fixture, United can look forward to a second successive full-house in the capital, with kickoff scheduled for 14:30 BST. For those not making the trip, you have ample opportunities to tune in live.
Residents in the UK and Ireland can watch the action on BBC One, with coverage set to begin at 13:50 BST. MUTV will have exclusive pre-match buildup starting from 14:00 BST, with live radio commentary supplied from Wembley.
Will United get the job done this weekend? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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