FA Cup preview: United Women v Manchester City

United progressed to this stage following a professional 2-0 away win over Bridgwater United in the fourth round, with a goal in each half from Hayley Ladd and Ella Toone setting up this weekend’s tie with the Blues. 

Entering into our second derby-day battle in as many weeks, the Reds will hope to bounce back following our recent 1-0 defeat against Gareth Taylor’s side. 

With all that being said, here’s all you need to know ahead of another highly anticipated Manchester derby on Sunday lunchtime…

HOW TO WATCH

Tickets are still available for this weekend’s clash with our crosstown rivals at Leigh Sports Village.

Ticket prices are £6 for adults and £3 for both over 65’s and under 16’s and can be purchased here. For those who cannot make it to WN7 this weekend, the game will be shown on terrestrial TV, with BBC Two broadcasting the game live. Coverage begins 15 minutes prior to the 12:30 GMT kick-off.

Alternatively, you can also keep up to date with all the action via the Manchester United App, where we will bring you the team news, as well as further coverage at half-time and full-time.

TEAM NEWS

United Women’s boss Skinner told club media earlier this week of Jade Moore’s return to training, with the midfielder working her way towards a debut for the club, following her deadline-day move last month.

Having had a whole host of Reds away on international duty since our last meeting with the Blues, the boss reported a clean bill of health for those that stayed at Carrington, as well as insisting earlier in the week to MUTV that "we will assess everybody when they return from the international break.''

FORM GUIDE

Both teams come into this one off the back of the aforementioned 1-0 derby-day result in favour of City, at the Academy Stadium, prior to the international break. For Sunday's visitors, it means they've lost just one of their last 11 games, while for United, it was only a second defeat in our last 10 outings across all competitions. 

FA CUP HISTORY

With Skinner’s side now firmly focused on the task at hand this weekend, the Reds will look to go one better and secure progression into the last-eight of the Women's FA Cup this season, having been eliminated at this stage in 2020/21. A win would match our previous-best campaign in the competition, a quarter-final berth in 2018/19, while providing the platform to go further and achieve more history in the weeks ahead. 

As for rivals City, the Blues are seasoned veterans when it comes to the FA Cup having won the competition three times in the past five years, as well as reaching the semi-finals in the other two seasons. Our crosstown rivals last lifted the trophy in November 2020, following a 3-1 victory over Everton at Wembley.

HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD

Facing off nine times in total dating back to 2019, the Reds are yet to beat the Blues in the league, but have come out on top of three of our four previous meetings in various cup competitions. City did get the better of our only FA Cup clash so far however, winning 3-2 at Leigh Sports Village in a fourth-round tie, back in January 2020. Sunday's derby will be the fourth and final of the season, with a home win in the Continental Tyres League Cup for United and in the Women's Super League for City, while our first meeting in the latter competition was drawn 2-2 back in October at LSV.

RIVALS WATCH

It’s a full round of Women’s FA Cup action this weekend, with eight fifth-round games scheduled to take place across both Saturday and Sunday…

SATURDAY 26 FEBRUARY

Chelsea v Leicester City (13:00 GMT)

SUNDAY 27 FEBRUARY

Liverpool v Arsenal (12:00 GMT)
Manchester City v UNITED (12:30 GMT)
Charlton v Everton (13:00 GMT)
Durham v Birmingham City
Reading v West Ham United
West Bromwich Albion v Coventry United
Ipswich Town v Southampton

All kick-offs 14:00 GMT unless stated.