Manchester City WFC vs Chelsea FCW, Conti Cup Quarterfinal: Preview, team news, how to watch

This match was supposed to take place just days after Chelsea’s first match of 2021 versus Reading, but Manchester City had to postpone due a COVID-19 outbreak. As it’s a Cup match, and the powers that be looked at potential draws the rest of the way, this match bumped a slot previously held as the makeup date for our postponed league match versus Tottenham, which was due to be our final match of 2020 except a COVID-19 outbreak at Chelsea forced us to reschedule. Got all that?

Anyway, it’s happening now, and will probably be the match of what remains of the tournament, no disrespect to other entrants. The winner will go on to face the winner of West Ham versus Durham at home in the Cup Semifinal. The winner of that contest will find themselves in a Cup Final against Championship side Leicester City or bottom-of-the-WSL Bristol City. The last time Chelsea played Bristol, we scored nine (9) goals.

So this is the feature contest that will, barring a substantial upset, determine whether Chelsea repeat as Conti Cup Champions, or whether a new title-holder will be crowned.

Date / Time: Wednesday, January 20, 2021, 17.30 GMT; 12:30pm EST; 8:00pm IST
Venue: Manchester City Academy Stadium
Forecast: Chilly and rainy. What did you expect from Manchester in January?
Streaming: The FA Player

Manchester City WFC team news: Manchester City are probably feeling pretty good about themselves. With their two big name USWNT signings, Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle, back in camp during a US Soccer but non-FIFA window, they scored six goals in the first half of their last match, a 7-0 drubbing of Aston Villa.

While Lavelle has struggled to find a place in Gareth Taylor’s XI, the aptly dubbed ‘Tower of Power’ Sam Mewis has fit in seamlessly, and was among City’s most important players in the first half of the season. With her an ocean away, it will be interesting to see how City responds against much tougher competition.

Chelsea FCW team news: Chelsea’s last match was a tough top of the table matchup against Manchester United last Sunday. The 2-1 scoreline doesn’t reflect how the Blues dominated the match, but that in itself is a a familiar annoyance concerning Chelsea’s finishing.

Chelsea have a deep squad, and with a run of fixtures that was just extended with the addition of making up the Spurs match on 31 January, this Cup quarterfinal will be the second of five matches we have to play within a two week period. As such, expect some fairly heavy rotation.

Guro Reiten is almost assured a start, as are Sophie Ingle and Bethany England. The midfield will largely depend on whether Emma Hayes thinks young prodigy Jessie Fleming is ready for the challenge of starting versus City.

Previously: We last faced Manchester City in a league match in October. The correct shade of Blue won 3-1 on the day, thanks to a converted penalty by Maren Mjelde and goals from Sam Kerr and, of course, Fran Kirby.