Key events
23 min: Manchester have the bit between their teeth. Ella Toone picks the ball up in the midfield before playing it out to Leah Galton. Not one to rest on her laurels, Toone continues her run and receives the ball on the edge of the box. The England forward dances past the Manchester City defenders, cutting on to her left foot before stinging Keating’s fingertips with a fierce effort.
GOAL! Manchester City 0-2 Manchester United (Clinton, 22)
I saw that one coming! Manchester United win a corner on the right, which Gabby George whips into the box. Grace Clinton loses her marker with ease before heading the ball into the bottom left corner.
17 min: Mary Fowler has gone down injured after the last phase of play. She seemed to overstretch as she tried to help out her teammate Murphy. The Manchester City medical team are on the pitch to give her treatment.
16 min: A first sight of goal for Manchester City academy graduate, Lily Murphy. She collects the ball on the edge of the box before dragging the ball wide of the left post without troubling Phallon Tullis-Joyce in goal.
12 min: Manchester United have been on top in the early stages of this game. They’re taking advantage of Manchester City’s injury crisis and building on their solid season so far. City are struggling to create much going forward without the presence of Khadija Shaw, Vivianne Miedema or Lauren Hemp.
GOAL! Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United (Bizet, 6)
Stunning finish from Celin Bizet. Ella Toone plays a stunning through ball to the forward who takes it down with an immaculate touch. Bizet checks back on to her right foot, teasing the City defenders, before bending the ball into the far corner past Keating.
4 min: Jayde Riviere has started this game excellently on the right hand side. She has ventured forward a few times from right-back to cause City problems. Riviere is equally competent going back and makes a great sliding tackle.
1 min: Almost a mistake there as Manchester City try to play out from the back. A pass from Khiara Keating deflects off of a Manchester United forward but they’re unable to capitalise.
Kick off
Manchester City get us under way kicking from left to right.
Skinner’s counterpart, Nick Cushing had this to say about Manchester United and their manager before today’s game:
“They’re Manchester United, right? They expect to win trophies. I have huge respect for Marc, I did when he was the Birmingham City manager and when he went out to Orlando he did a top job. He’s a real high-level coach. I expect a really difficult game.
“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 for City Women. I expect a difficult game, but I have a huge desire to progress.”
Tom Garry
How did Skinner’s fortunes turn around from fans calling for him to be sacked last season to being the longest-serving current WSL manager? A key moment came when beating Chelsea in last season’s FA Cup semi-finals and he was given a one-year contract extension; it is understood that was signed before they went on to win the final, even though it was announced afterwards.
Mark Skinner, the longest serving WSL manager, recently signed a two-year contract extension with Manchester United. His side currently sit third in the WSL, having conceded the fewest goals, but it hasn’t all been smooth sailing during Skinner’s four-year reign. Read Tom Garry’s piece on Marc Skinner’s Manchester United revival.
The teams
Manchester City: Keating, Aleixandri, Coombs, Fowler, Kerolin Nicoli, Ouahabi, Park, Casparij, Hasegawa, Prior, Murphy
Subs: Yamashita, Startup, Layzell, Wienroither, Oyama, Lewis
Your team to face United! 📝🩵
XI | Keating, Aleixandri (C), Coombs, Fowler, Kerolin Nicoli, Ouahabi, Park, Casparij, Hasegawa, Prior, Murphy
SUBS | Yamashita, Startup, Layzell, Wienroither, Oyama, Lewis#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/jqMPDYhlUt
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) April 13, 2025
Manchester United: Tullis-Joyce, George, Le Tissier, Toone, Clinton, Galton, Riviere, Bizet, Terland, Miyazawa, Turner
Subs: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, Mannion, Sandberg, Awujo, Janssen, Naalsund, Malard, Williams
Preamble
Hello and welcome to minute-by-minute coverage of the Women’s FA Cup semi-final between Manchester City and Manchester United.
Marc Skinner’s Manchester United side are bidding to reach a third successive FA Cup final after winning the competition last year. Their 4-2 WSL victory over their noisy neighbours earlier in the season will fill them with confidence.
Manchester City on the other hand will be keen to set up an FA Cup final with perpetual rivals Chelsea by winning today. They will be without forward Vivianne Miedema though as she picked up a hamstring injury on international duty for the Netherlands.
If today’s game is anything like Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Liverpool yesterday, we’re in for a treat!
Kick off is at 3pm. Email me with your thoughts.