The teams
Chelsea: Hampton, Carpenter, Buurman, Buchanan, Charles, Walsh, Nusken, Cuthbert, James, Thompson, Kerr. Subs: Peng, Spencer, Baltimore, Kaptein, Rytting Kaneryd, Bronze, Potter, Beever-Jones, Sarwie
Manchester City: Keating, Rose, Greenwood, Clinton, Shaw, Hemp, Kerolin, Ouahabi, Casparij, Blindkilde Brown, Hasegawa. Subs: Cumings, Coombs, Fowler, Wienroither, Fujino, Lohmann, Beney, Prior, Murphy.
The former Chelsea player Fran Kirby of Brighton has beem speaking after that Brighton win: “Absolutely. I don’t know. It would be great to play some of the girls I’ve played with over so many years. But, you know what, may the best team win.”
Brighton will the opponent for whomever wins at Stamford Bridge in this game.
They have beaten Arsenal and now Liverpool to get to Wembley.
And Tom’s story on Shaw’s departure:
On the champions of England, from the excellent Tom Garry.
Nineteen of City’s 58 goals have been scored by Shaw, who has been the star of the show. The focal point of the attack, she has looked unstoppable and will surely be named as the WSL’s player of the season. City have also had great weapons down the flanks, with the England winger Lauren Hemp on one side and the Netherlands right-back Kerstin Casparij surging forward on the other. They are lethal from set pieces, too, aided by the deliveries from Greenwood, whose career total of 19 WSL assists from set pieces is a record.
Preamble
It’s been a big week for Manchester City’s women’s team, crowned champions when Arsenal failed to beat Brighton, and then the news that key player Khadija Shaw will be heading elsewhere once the season is over. That Chelsea are the favourites to sign Shaw only adds to the heady mix of this cup semi; City are going for the double. Chelsea are attempting to rescue a disappointing season in the WSL and Champions League by adding the FA Cup to the League Cup. This is massive, frankly.
Kick-off is at 3.30pm UK time. Join me.
