The curtain is poised to fall on another breathless season of domestic football in England but before it can the final act will play out on football’s ultimate stage. Chelsea will seek to complete an unbeaten domestic season and clinch the treble with victory. Their opponents, Manchester United are the Adobe Women’s FA Cup holders, and Marc Skinner’s side will do everything in their power not to loosen their grip on the fabled trophy.
To take us through all the drama The Halfway line spoke to two time FA Cup winner Izzy Christiansen. We were able to pick her brains about the match up at Wembley Stadium on Sunday and reflect on some of her own FA Cup memories.
It was a ‘euphoric moment’ to score in an FA Cup final
Christiansen was born in Macclesfield and after a brief spell with Manchester United’s youth set up she joined Everton as a 14 year old. For her that was just the beginning and a magnificent career followed with one common thread. With the exception of just one season in France with Lyon she played in the FA Cup. But what was her favourite FA Cup memory? Christiansen explained:
“I mean watching the FA Cup growing up it was always a very special day in the footballing calendar, making time to watch it as a youth growing up and now, having played in quite a few FA Cup finals myself. I’ve got so many memories, but my most favourite memory is winning it with Manchester City in 2017 and scoring in the final.”
The Halfway Line asked Christiansen to talk us through that moment when she found the net in that final, where Lucy Bronze stood the ball up to the edge of the box and Christiansen swept it into the top corner with unerring accuracy:
“It feels like yesterday. It still does feel like yesterday. Yeah, it was a euphoric moment. I was nervous before the game. I couldn’t quite figure out why, but I knew it was all just bottled up energy inside, ready to go and score that goal. So I was just happy that we got hands on the trophy as well, and the celebrations were pretty wild.” Christiansen joked.
‘I’m supporting neither’ jokes City legend Christiansen
Despite starting her career with city rivals United it was Manchester City who Christiansen enjoyed the most successful part of her career in England with. With Chelsea also big rivals in her playing days, this was never going to be an easy question to answer but The Halfway Line could not resist asking if the City legend would be supporting her old rivals or her local rivals in the final? Christiansen laughed:
“I’m supporting neither! In fact, you know what I’m supporting? Man United. I get enough stick from Chelsea fans to be honest!” Christiansen joked with a rye smile across here face before continuing: “Here we go! Hear me out. I honestly, I just, I hope it’s a great game. You know [a game] that portrays how good the league’s been, may the best team win.” She concluded with a concessionary smile.
Both head coaches will have ‘tricks up their sleeve’ insists Christiansen
Last month Chelsea travelled to Leigh Sports Village knowing that if they avoided defeat, they would be champions of England. An exciting match ensued, far more so than when Chelsea had welcomed Manchester United in the reverse fixture. Chelsea ran out 1-0 winners and secured the title in the process but the match had been far from straight forward. Christiansen told us what to expect from the encounter at Wembley stadium, she noted:
“Chelsea have got a point to prove. I think, you know, the Champions League exit again. I know this is not going to make me popular again [with Chelsea fans] but here we go! They want the domestic treble, I’ve got so much respect for Sonia Bompastor, I worked with her at Lyon, I think she’s brilliant. I really do admire her and I’m so glad she’s in our league now.
She will have a few tricks up her sleeve. And I think Marc Skinner has shown this season that he’s got some tricks up his sleeve as well. So I expect it to be tight. The game, at Leigh Sports Village where Chelsea clinched the title was incredibly tight. It was a really, really good tactical battle. And if the game is played with that same intensity which I’m sure it will be, I think the fans that are filling up Wembley on on the weekend will have a great time.”
Bompastor is a ‘serial winner’
When Christiansen was at Lyon she worked closely with Sonia Bompastor, the now Chelsea head coach was head of the Lyon Academy at the time. The Halfway Line asked Christiansen what it was like to work with the French Chelsea boss, she smiled:
“If you have one or two conversations with her you can see how passionate she is about the game, which is really nice to feel and hear when you speak to somebody with such stature. She spent over 10 years [coaching] in Lyon’s Academy. Obviously, she’s had a very successful and illustrious playing career herself. She’s a serial winner and now she’s gone and done that over here in England, which is not easy.”
Christiansen continued: “And following suit from a manager who was rather successful as well, in Emma Hayes! She’s brilliant, and I am really excited to see how she evolves this Chelsea team in the next few seasons, but she’s a lovely person. I’ve had so many good conversations with her this season working for Sky Sports, so I’ve been lucky to be in and around her this season. But yeah, I’m sure she’s got some tricks up her sleeve for the weekend.”
Manchester United have ‘gone up to the next level’ this season
In the red corner on Sunday is Manchester United and Marc Skinner, who will be looking to get one over on Sonia Bompastor for the first time in his managerial career. Christiansen explained what she thought about Manchester United’s season leading up to this point and the all important cup final, she reported:
“I think they’ve been superb. They’ve gone up to the next level. They’ve shown that in the league, where they finished in the league to get that Champions League spot is massive for them. Obviously, I wanted Manchester City to be in there. But we know that football changes and we want competition and it’s been brilliant to see.
Marc Skinner has done a terrific job this season evolving the team. I think the players have been brilliant. You know, they’ve really bought into it. I think the changes that happened last summer have actually helped the team in a way.”
Christiansen continued: “You know, some fresh faces coming in. And I think the likes of [Hinata] Miyazawa, Elizabeth Terland, Celin Bizet in particular, have done really well. And I think Marc Skinner’s biggest headache ahead of the weekend is going to be Ella Toone or Grace Clinton in that midfield.
Both of them will have a role to play, without a doubt. And that’s a sign of where football’s at now it’s a hybrid role of two brilliant young players that we’ve got in our England team as well. She [Ella Toone] loves a Wembley outing. Not a bad goal last year in the final!”
‘If you’re a betting person, you put your money on Chelsea’
Finally we had to push Christiansen for a prediction, and she dutifully replied:
“If you’re a betting person, I think you put your money on Chelsea. Everyone loves an underdog in Manchester United. I think they’ll thrive off being that.
But obviously they are [Manchester United] the holders, so it kind of changes the dynamic. If you’re asking for a prediction, I’m going to go 2-2 after full time and I’m going to go Chelsea [to win] in extra time.”
She laughed “Sounds like a good day out for the fans!”
