Manchester United Women manager Marc Skinner has set his sights on “revenge” as his side prepare to face Chelsea in next month’s Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley.
The showdown promises to be a thrilling encounter, with United eager to reclaim the trophy they lifted 11 months ago and Chelsea eyeing a potential quadruple.
United secured their third consecutive trip to Wembley with a hard-fought victory over Manchester City in Sunday’s semi-final at Joie Stadium.
Their triumph sets up a rematch against Chelsea, who narrowly defeated United 1-0 in their maiden FA Cup final appearance in 2023—a memory Skinner and his players are determined to erase.
“There is a massive challenge ahead of us,” Skinner said after the semi-final win. “We have played Chelsea in the final before and we want to get revenge. If the players show their experience, we can beat anyone. I’ve no doubt about that.”
The final, scheduled for May 18, comes amid a fierce rivalry in the Women’s Super League title race, with Chelsea holding a six-point lead over United and four games remaining. The two sides will meet in a league clash on April 30, adding further intrigue to their battle for silverware.
United’s FA Cup journey has been shaped by contrasting fortunes. After falling to Chelsea in the 2023 final, they bounced back to claim their first major trophy last year with a commanding 4-0 win over Tottenham.
Eleven players from that losing 2023 squad remain part of Skinner’s current team, and former United goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain believes this is their chance for redemption.
“They lost their first FA Cup final to Chelsea at Wembley, now they have the chance to redeem themselves and get one over on Chelsea,” Chamberlain said.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are seeking to extend their dominance and complete a remarkable quadruple—a feat that has only added to the anticipation surrounding the final.
Former Manchester City forward Ellen White summed up the excitement: “Chelsea want the quadruple, United want to retain the trophy. It’s going to be really exciting, especially for the neutral.”
