Chelsea FCW vs. Manchester United WFC, Women’s FA Cup Final: Preview, team news, how to watch

It’s not often that a major Cup final would pit the two best teams in the land against each other, but for the 2023 edition of the Women’s FA Cup final, that is very much the case. The top two teams in the Women’s Super League, with a combined four defeats in 39 games, go head-to-head today at Wembley, as Chelsea take on Manchester United for top honors — and a chance at The Double.

Chelsea are looking to win this competition for the fifth time in our history and third in a row. United, who are relatively new outfit established officially only in 2018, are looking to win it for the first time. They have never beaten Chelsea in any competition in nine tries.

But they’re in the big leagues now, and this is a massive occasion indeed. A record sellout crowd of 90,000 is expected at Wembley. Time to put on a show.

Date / Time: Sunday, May 14, 2023, 14.30 BST; 9:30am EDT
Venue: Wembley, London
Referee: Emily Heaslip
Forecast: Sunny and warm with a slight chance of rain late on

On TV: BBC One (UK); none (USA); elsewhere
Streaming: BBC iPlayer (UK); ESPN+ (USA); The FA Player (int’l)

Photo by Harriet Lander - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

Chelsea team news: Chelsea are, nominally, the home team, and have no new injury concerns. Fran Kirby’s out due to her recent surgery, but otherwise everyone should be available, including departing duo Pernille Harder and captain Magdalena Eriksson.

The Blues have rattled off back-to-back goalfests against Everton and Leicester City, netting 13 (thirteen!) goals across those 180 minutes, but United will prove a much, much tougher test. We have three more games left after this one as well, and will probably need to win all three to secure another WSL title as well (and beat out United in that regard, too).

Photo by Charlotte Tattersall - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images

Manchester United team news: United have tasted defeat just once in their last 20 games, since mid-November, but that was to Chelsea at Kingsmeadow. Otherwise they’ve swept aside just about all comers, winning their last eight. They have the league’s best defense and second-best (to Chelsea) attack.

United’s only absentee is former Chelsea defender Maria Thorisdóttir, who’s been ruled out for the rest of the season with a foot injury.

Manager Marc Skinner is looking for his team of “rebels” to overthrow the established order.

“If you want to pick a favourite then Chelsea should be put on that mantle because they’ve done this before. But the reality is we have a team of rebels and that might not be the fact on Sunday.

“Single game, single focus, and we will try to accept all the psychological challenges and manage and adapt the best we can. We are there to try and win it. [We] know we can beat Chelsea and that’s not saying we’re going to beat Chelsea because we know how difficult that is. We’ve got to trust our process of play.”

-Marc Skinner; source: Independent

Previously: Sam Kerr scored the only goal in our 1-0 win back in March, with United left feeling hard done by a couple penalty shouts that fell on deaf ears — though on another day, Kerr could’ve easily had a hat-trick as well.