Manchester United manager Marc Skinner has warned his players to keep their eye on the prize after securing a shock 2-1 win over favourites Chelsea in the Women’s FA Cup semi-final at the weekend.
Goals from Lucia Garcia and Rachel Williams put Skinner’s side 2-0 up in the first 25 minutes before Lauren James pulled one back in first-half injury time. United managed to hold on to progress to the final, where they will take on Tottenham next month. Speaking after the match on Saturday, Skinner said he doesn’t want his team to take anything for granted:
“I will be very clear, we’ve won nothing yet – it will be an incredibly tough final.”
Skinner, in particular, has been under a lot of pressure in recent months, with speculation about his future at the club running rampant after a disappointing season. However, the United boss was keen to emphasise that the team’s win against Chelsea was a testament to the character of those on the pitch:
“Every player played their part, from the starting XI to the players that came on, the magnificent fans, everyone did their bit. As a coach, these are the real moments that make it worthwhile. When you feel the collective energy of a team like Manchester United it makes you feel alive. These players performed alive and that is why we won the game.”
When is the Women’s FA Cup final being played?
The final between Manchester United and Tottenham takes place on May 12th at 2:30 PM BST, with the game being held at Wembley Stadium.
After losing the final to Chelsea last season, the Red Devils will be determined to go one better this campaign. If they do win, it will be the first time that the club has won the competition.
United’s remaining fixtures in the WSL
After finishing runners-up in the Women’s Super League last year, Skinner’s side have fallen way behind the top 4 this campaign. They currently trail leaders Manchester City by 15 points.
United have four league games left to play. Their next fixture is actually against cup final opponents Spurs, and they then face Leicester, Liverpool and Chelsea. The trip to Wembley takes place a week before the final WSL clash against the Blues.
