Tottenham have a lot of confidence, and, knowing that they are the underdogs, the pressure is lifted. Having never reached the final before, the side has nothing to lose, which makes it a dangerous opponent. While it has not been the most consistent WSL season, there are plenty of positives.
Having battled relegation last season, Spurs have cemented a comfortable sixth-place finish with a game to go and have proven they can compete with the best in the WSL. It has also been a season of growth. When Spurs faced Man United in November, they fell to a 4-0 drubbing. But only a few weeks ago, right after it was confirmed that these two sides would be heading to Wembley, Spurs held United to a 2-2 draw and even led throughout much of that fixture.
However, they will be without key midfielder Grace Clinton. The 20-year-old is on loan from Manchester United and therefore can’t face her parent club in the final. While she has been an important part of Tottenham’s attack and has proven vital in orchestrating tempo, Tottenham’s recent outing against United was a valuable one as it taught them how to play effectively without Clinton. — Keogh
It wasn’t so long ago that Spurs were making their way up the women’s football pyramid, earning promotions from the regional tiers, through the Championship and up to the WSL for the first time ahead of the 2019–20 season. And, at a time when Spurs were grafting as a part-time team, the Manchester United women’s side lay dormant, having been abandoned in 2005 and only being brought back in 2018.
Both teams were promoted from the second tier in the 2019–20 season and have been finding their respective footing in the WSL ever since.
Manchester United, already operating as a professional team during their single season in the Championship, hit the ground running under then-manager Casey Stoney and immediately started chasing down the top three in England.
Conversely, Spurs’ life in the WSL has been littered with pitfalls and upheaval. Indeed, it wasn’t until this season, with the arrival of Swedish boss Robert Vilahamn as manager, that they looked like they could seriously challenge the big clubs.
As Skinner knows, not just from last season’s FA Cup final loss but also from his previous outing at Wembley with Birmingham City in 2017 (a 4-1 loss to Manchester City), it’s one thing to get to the big stage but quite another to wrest silverware away from the dominant three. But Manchester United and Spurs will have no better chance to make history. — Lawson
Man United reached the final last season and have the edge on experience, but Tottenham have shown their progression and would be worthy winners. Having a new name on the trophy either way is a great thing for women’s football, but Tottenham winning would be a bigger statement given that they gained promotion to the WSL in 2019 and the team’s history only dates back to 1985.
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