Women’s FA Cup: What to look out for in the fourth round this weekend

Chelsea lift women's FA Cup trophy
Chelsea begin their campaign to retain the FA Cup trophy against fellow WSL team Aston Villa
Date: Sunday, 30 January Time: 12:30 GMT Venue: Meadow Park
Coverage: Watch live on BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app

The Women’s FA Cup returns this weekend, with the Women’s Super League giants joining the fray as part of the 16 fourth-round ties.

Holders Chelsea visit top-flight rivals Aston Villa in one of three all-WSL meetings, with Brighton hosting Reading and Tottenham welcoming Leicester City in the others.

But perhaps the most eye-catching tie pits newly formed Bridgwater United against heavyweights Manchester United.

Here’s a guide to what to look out for this weekend.

A London derby for the Lionesses

Arsenal v London City Lionesses
London City Lionesses played Arsenal in the League Cup last season, before facing Chelsea in the FA Cup fourth round

Championship side London City Lionesses – who have won seven of their past eight games – will face WSL leaders Arsenal on Sunday (12:30 GMT) in a match UK viewers can watch live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app.

The Lionesses have already beaten WSL opponents this season – seeing off Brighton 1-0 in the League Cup – but can the team founded in 2019 when they separated from Millwall Lionesses cause an upset against Arsenal?

Captain Harley Bennett says London City have progressed “massively” in recent seasons, and sees Sunday’s game as a “good occasion to showcase ourselves”.

“I’ve thought a lot about playing Arsenal – it feels like we draw them every year in some competition – but I’m more excited than ever this time,” she said.

“This year we have become even stronger, fitter and have a style we want to play in. I think it will be a really good game and I’m really excited to lead the team and hopefully have a cup upset.”

Bennett recently became the first player to reach 50 appearances for the club – something that looked unlikely when she took four years out of football from 2015.

“I had hit a point in my career where I wasn’t enjoying it as much,” she said. “I struggled with the different levels of people’s commitment.

“I’m super happy to be back in women’s football now. It’s such a privilege to be a part of it all.”

Cup-sets on the cards?

Huddersfield have scored more goals than any other side in the FA Cup so far, bagging 26 and conceding one. Twenty of those came in the first round.

Everton, who sit 10th in the WSL, will take on third-tier opposition in the form of Huddersfield Town.

But the underdogs may fancy their chances, having only dropped points in one game out of nine – a run that includes eight consecutive wins.

Manager Glen Preston wants his side to use the game as “a platform to help grow the club and show what we stand for”.

He added: “We know how much of a challenge it will be and how a big a gulf there is between the two clubs. It’s the FA Cup, and anything can happen, but my biggest hopes are that we can represent the club well, narrow the gap between ourselves and the WSL side, and hopefully gain a few new fans.”

Elsewhere, former Nottingham Forest player Gareth Taylor will return to the City Ground as his Manchester City side – who have won four of their past five games – take on third-tier Forest.

Bridgwater United, who emerged in 2021 after the collapse of former WSL side Yeovil, will take on Manchester United as they seek a springboard for their campaign for Championship football while Exeter – the lowest-ranked of the four fourth-tier sides left in the competition – travel to West Brom.

Bridgwater United – Women’s FA Cup giant-killers in waiting?

‘Significant increase’ to prize fund but protests continue

The women’s teams are fighting for less than 2% of the prize fund awarded to men’s sides, with the total for winning the trophy set at £25,000 in contrast to the men’s £1.8m.

In response to criticism from fans, MPs and several WSL managers, the FA announced on Friday that they will be making a “significant increase” to the prize money for the women’s FA Cup from the next season.

A protest – organised by campaign group the Women’s Football Fan Collective – had been set to take place at more than half of this weekend’s games.

The group took to twitterexternal-link to confirm that they will still be taking part in the protest, where supporters plan to chant ‘No ifs, no buts, we want an equal FA Cup’ on the 51st and 71st minutes – the women’s FA Cup having started 51 years ago in 1971.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes called the disparity between the prize money “unbelievable”.

“I’m not talking about Chelsea, I’m not talking about the top clubs, I’m talking about the trickle-down effect,” she said.

“We have to keep pushing because the fact that we get [less than] 5% of that total fund is completely unacceptable, on a really serious level.

“This is a significant news story that we have to keep highlighting, because we must protect our smaller clubs. We’ve got to grow the women’s game.”

Emma Hayes with FA Cup trophy
Emma Hayes has guided Chelsea to three FA Cup victories in her 10-year stint with the Blues

Brighton boss Hope Powell echoed Hayes’ feelings, saying the figures “don’t quite match up to where the game is at the moment”.

She added: “With where the women’s game is now, the fanbase, the final at Wembley and the numbers commanded – which was over 40,000 – [it shows] there is an appetite for it.

“I think the prize money should align itself somewhat to that.”

Banner Image Reading Around the BBC - Blue

Footer - Blue

Note: This article have been indexed to our site. We do not claim legitimacy, ownership or copyright of any of the content above. To see the article at original source Click Here

Related Posts
ギョーザ購入額 宮崎市が初の全国1位 1世帯あたり年間4184円で浜松と宇都宮を抜いた thumbnail

ギョーザ購入額 宮崎市が初の全国1位 1世帯あたり年間4184円で浜松と宇都宮を抜いた

宮崎の餃子専門店「黒兵衛」の餃子(宮崎市提供) 総務省統計局による2021年の家計調査が8日発表され、宮崎市のギョーザの1世帯当たりの年間購入額が4184円となり、初めて全国1位となった。長年トップを独占していた浜松市と宇都宮市の牙城を崩した。2位の浜松市は3728円、3位の宇都宮市は3129円だった。前年20年は浜松、宇都宮、宮崎の順だった。宮崎市によると、20年9月にギョーザを新しい宮崎名物にしようと、ギョーザ専門店やラーメン店で構成された「宮崎市ぎょうざ協議会」が発足。渡辺愛香会長は市を通じて「2年越しの目標が実現できました。市民・県民の皆さまのおかげだと思っています。ギョーザといえば宮崎市と言ってもらえるように盛り上げていきたい」とコメントした。惜しくも1位の座を明け渡した浜松市の担当者は「宮崎市さん、1位おめでとうございます。残念な気持ちは否めないですが、コロナ禍でも、浜松市、宮崎市、宇都宮市で、ギョーザを通じて飲食業界を盛り上げていきたい」。「ギョーザのまち」として名高い宇都宮市の担当者は「例年のギョーザの消費金額にとらわれることなく、ギョーザを活用したまちづくりや、観光プロモーションを推進していく」と意気込んだ。【沢田直人】◆ギョーザの購入額トップ5の都市▽17年 <1>宇都宮市<2>浜松市 <3>堺市  <4>京都市 <5>宮崎市▽18年 <1>浜松市 <2>宇都宮市<3>宮崎市 <4>京都市 <5>大阪市▽19年 <1>宇都宮市<2>浜松市 <3>京都市 <4>東京23区<5>神戸市▽20年 <1>浜松市 <2>宇都宮市<3>宮崎市 <4>京都市 <5>大津市▽21年 <1>宮崎市 <2>浜松市 <3>宇都宮市<4>千葉市 <5>京都市
Read More
Colby Covington a heavy favorite to beat Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272 thumbnail

Colby Covington a heavy favorite to beat Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272

Opening odds for a teammates-turned-rivals fight between Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal don’t advertise a competitive matchup. According to opening lines published by betonline.ag, Covington is a heavy favorite at -325 over +275 Masvidal heading into their headliner at UFC 272, which takes place March 5 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and airs live…
Read More
Your United Pic: Sir Bobby Charlton thumbnail

Your United Pic: Sir Bobby Charlton

Skip to Main NavigationSkip to contentManchester United's three knights will all be represented when six new images - as selected by the club's legions of loyal supporters - are displayed outside the stadium.Sir Bobby Charlton is the subject of the second poll in our new campaign, 'Your United Pic', which kicked off on Monday with…
Read More
NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird Reportedly Fired Amid Paul Riley Allegations thumbnail

NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird Reportedly Fired Amid Paul Riley Allegations

Bryan Byerly/ISI Photos/Getty ImagesThe NWSL board of directors has fired commissioner Lisa Baird and general counsel Lisa Levine, multiple sources reported to Meg Linehan of The Athletic.The news comes one day after Linehan and The Athletic's Katie Strang revealed former players' accusations of sexual coercion against ex-North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley "spanning multiple…
Read More
Index Of News
Total
0
Share