As Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur prepare for a thrilling finale in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, the sold-out stands of Wembley Stadium gear up for a record breaking afternoon as English football looks to crown a brand new winner of the competition.

Manchester United made their debut appearance on the final stage of the competition in last year’s narrow defeat to Chelsea, whilst Tottenham Hotspur make history in making their very first showing at Wembley Stadium for a Cup Final.

This year’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup final will hold even greater meaning, as the final whistle will crown a brand new winner in the competition’s history. Not only is that noteworthy, but Sunday’s result will see it be the first time since Birmingham City’s victory in 2012, that the Cup will be awarded to a club other than Arsenal, Chelsea, or Manchester City. Signifying the growth of the women’s game, the 2024 Adobe Women’s FA Cup looks to write history on England’s biggest stage.

The Managers

Despite it being Manchester United’s second appearance in the final of the FA Cup, manager Marc Skinner will be returning to the final fixture for his third outing- having also been the manager of Birmingham City when they fell to 4-1 defeat the hands of Manchester City in 2017. Having faced defeat on both occasions, Skinner will be hungry for victory come Sunday’s final showdown.

Robert Vilahamn will also be searching to write himself on the right side of history, as his two previous seasons in charge of BK Häcken have seen him on the losing side of consecutive Swedish Cup finals- at the hands of both FC Rosengård and Hammarby, respectively.

Shared Alliances

Many of those featuring on Sunday’s stage as opponents have once been on the same side of the team sheet. Mary Earps and Becky Spencer were rotating goalkeepers in 2013 when Birmingham City made their way to the final of the competition.

Martha Thomas will come up against her former side in Manchester United at Wembley Stadium, having signed with Tottenham over the summer window on a permanent transfer.

Perhaps the most notable of connections will come in the form of Grace Clinton, as the young English star signed with Tottenham on a season-long loan contract over the summer window. Due to the terms of her loan contract, Clinton will be unable to feature in the final against her parent club, despite what has been a stellar individual feature in the Cup run leading up to Wembley.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur have undergone major renovation since the conclusion of last season’s relegation threatened performance in the Barclays Women’s Super League. The 2023/24 campaign has been witness to a Tottenham Hotspur side reborn, as the Spurs continue to write history for the North London club.

Robert Vilahamn took over the reins of the side in the summer, as the Swedish manager made the move over from BK Häcken in the Damallsvenskan. Since then, Tottenham have faced resurgence.

Having fallen to a deafening 7-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City last November, to now having claimed victory over the Cityzens in the Quarter Final stages of the FA Cup competition, Vilahamn’s Spurs continue to flex their muscles as they develop and grow into a new and exciting side.

Sunday’s meeting with the Red Devils will be the club’s first ever appearance in the final of an FA Cup, something that provides a stark difference to last year’s fifth-round exit to Reading in what was a disappointing penalty shootout result.

Though the spirits of Spurs may be dampened ever so slightly, due to the absence of Grace Clinton- the 21 year-old is unable to play in the fixture due to the terms of her loan contract. Having played such a significant part in Tottenham’s road to Wembley so far, Clinton’s absence is sure to be felt all around the ground.

Despite the ever present absence of Clinton in Sunday’s final meeting, Tottenham’s recent outing with Manchester United saw Matilda Vinberg take her place in the starting eleven. The young Swedish talent proved electric on the occasion, directly contributing to both of the scores in the 2-2 stalemate. Without assuming what is ticking inside of Vilahamn’s brain, it is likely that we may see a similar deployment come Sunday.

A victory on Sunday will provide the club with it’s first major piece of silverware since their promotion to the top flight in 2019, as the Spurs continue to challenge at the highest level. Defeat, though heartbreaking, should not dampen the mood of Tottenham fans once the dust has settled, as they watch their side jump from strength to strength under the new management of Robert Vilahamn.

Manchester United

Returning to the grass of Wembley Stadium for the second year in a row, Marc Skinner’s Manchester United side will be looking to rewrite the script on what was a narrowly disappointing outing in last year’s encounter with Chelsea.

Many Red Devils know Wembley all too well- Ella Toone having had many spectacular moments on the biggest stage in England, though none more important than a dramatic goal in the EURO 2022 Final. Mary Earps and Nikita Parris also return to Wembley Stadium, having been on the field for the final in what was a historic day for the Lionesses.

Though despite what was a record-breaking campaign for the Red Devils in the 2022/23 season, Manchester United currently find themselves gasping for air when trying to keep up with their stellar year of last.

Having lost a long-list of players over the summer window, the 2023/24 campaign has been far from desirable for those supporting in Red. As Marc Skinner’s side currently trail last season’s league tally by 21 points, the Adobe Women’s FA Cup final arrives as the perfect opportunity for the Mancunian side to rectify what has been a rocky campaign in the league.

Though despite the constant spotlight highlighting the negatives in Carrington, the Red Devils have managed to back-up their Cup efforts, whilst already finding revenge over last year’s final opponents in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the competition’s semi final. In what seems to be an adjustment period resulting from a high turnover in the summer, applause should be given where it’s due as Manchester United return to Wembley for the second year in a row.

Though perhaps where Tottenham find growth, Manchester United find decline. Meaning the FA Cup final proves ultimately more detrimental for the Red Devils as they look to find a result to bring with the 2023/24 campaign.

Sunday’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup Final will kick off at Wembley Stadium at 14:30 GST, and can be watched by fans on BBC One.