Manchester United beat Tottenham 4-0 in the 2024 FA Cup final
Quadruple-chasing Chelsea are among the four Women’s Super League teams this weekend who will battle it out for a place in the Women’s FA Cup final.
Saturday’s first semi-final will see Sonia Bompastor’s side, unbeaten domestically this season, host a Liverpool team (12:15 BST) who created a stir in the last round by knocking out Arsenal.
A mouth-watering derby awaits on Sunday, with Manchester City hoping to salvage their season when they face rivals Manchester United at home (15:00 BST).
BBC Sport looks at the main talking points before the two ties, which will both be shown live on the BBC.
Chelsea v Liverpool
Venue: Kingsmeadow Date: Saturday, 12 April Kick-off: 12:15 BST
Coverage: Watch live on BBC One, iPlayer and online, listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, live text and video highlights on BBC Sport website and app.
Liverpool profited from an own goal against Arsenal to reach their first FA Cup semi-final in eight years
Chelsea’s run of three consecutive FA Cup crowns was ended at the semi-final stage by Manchester United last season this time it is Liverpool hoping they can bring a premature end to the Blues’ bid for another Wembley triumph.
It was 2017 the last time Liverpool reached the last four of the FA Cup, but interim boss Amber Whiteley, who took the hotseat at the end of February, refused to call her side the underdogs of the teams left.
They are buoyed by their quarter-final win over Arsenal and an impressive WSL victory over Manchester United in March.
“We have taken really good confidence from those games,” Whiteley said. “We have shown against the top teams that we can compete.
“If we perform on the day, I honestly believe that we can beat anyone in front of us. It’s a really exciting prospect being one away from Wembley. That is the incentive for definite.”
Opponents Chelsea have only lost once in all competitions this season – a 2-0 Champions League first-leg defeat by Manchester City.
A quadruple is on the cards with the Blues having already won the Women’s League Cup, while they are six points clear at the top of the Women’s Super League and into the Women’s Champions League semi-finals.
But last month they did drop points in the league with draws against Brighton and West Ham.
“As a team we can’t drop our standards like we did in those games,” says Bompastor. “It’s up to us to make sure we have this ruthless mentality as a team.
“We want to focus on ourselves. I know if we play our best version we can qualify for the final.”
Yet those results give Liverpool hope that they too can get a result.
“In recent games we have to look at teams that have taken points off them and take learnings,” said Whiteley. “It gives you confidence and belief that we can go there and do the same.”
And if recent seasons are anything to go by that confidence is not misplaced, having been one of the few sides to beat Chelsea domestically in each of the last two WSL campaigns with a 4-3 triumph in May last year and a 2-1 win at the start of the previous season.
Man City v Man Utd
Venue: Joie Stadium Date: Sunday, 12 April Kick-off: 15:00 BST
Coverage: Watch live on BBC Two, iPlayer and online, live text and video highlights on BBC Sport website and app.
Rachel Williams scored Manchester United’s second goal in last season’s 4-0 FA Cup final win over Tottenham
This Manchester derby features two teams whose narratives this season have taken very different trajectories.
Manchester City began the campaign with head coach Gareth Taylor talking of taking the next step to win the WSL title yet they find themselves languishing adrift in fourth, with interim boss Nick Cushing now in charge and City hoping the FA Cup will save their season.
In contrast, holders Manchester United had a turbulent summer, while head coach Marc Skinner faced criticism from his own fans, yet they have gone on to have an impressive league campaign which could be capped by retaining their FA Cup crown.
After losing to Chelsea in the final in 2023, Skinner’s side thrashed Tottenham at Wembley last year to win their first major trophy.
Boss Skinner said the prospect of reaching a third successive FA Cup final “is not something to fear” for his side.
“If you grip too tight on the memory and thought of it, you forget to live in the moment and I want us to live in the moment,” he said.
“I want us to enjoy the pressure of this situation. We currently are the holders. Let’s try and maintain that.”
It is one win apiece in the meetings between the two teams this season with City winning their League Cup quarter-final in January, but United coming out on top in their league clash three days earlier.
Forward Rachel Williams, who scored United’s second against Spurs at Wembley told BBC Sport: “It would be the icing on the cake for the season we are having.
“If someone offered me an FA Cup final and a Champions League spot at the start of the season, I would rip your hand off.”
Yet it will be a different challenge for United facing a City side now led by Cushing, who won the FA Cup twice in his first spell in Manchester.
“For us, we have a huge desire, it’s really difficult for me to dilute my expectation and my expectation is that I want to win trophies with City,” said Cushing.
“I expect a difficult game, but I have a huge desire to progress.”
Vivianne Miedema has been added to their lengthy injury list after picking up a hamstring problem on international duty for the Netherlands.
