Women's League Cup final preview: Chelsea v United

Marc Skinner’s Reds will make the trip to Bristol City’s Ashton Gate Stadium aiming to join the Blues, Arsenal and Manchester City on an exclusive list of winners since the tournament’s first edition in 2011.

Kick-off is at 14:15 GMT, and below is everything else you need to know in the build-up to the big game, including how to keep across it…

HOW TO WATCH AND FOLLOW

A limited number of the 3,657 tickets we were assigned in the Atyeo Stand remain, and can be purchased here. Tickets are priced at £15 for adults, £10 for over-65s and £5 for under-18s.

Fans travelling down can consume alcohol in view of the pitch, should they wish to do so, as the final is part of the WSL’s ongoing Fan Choice pilot. Block E32 in the Dolman Stand, where supporters of both clubs are welcome, has been designated as an alcohol-free area.

If you won't be at Ashton Gate, you can keep across the action with our live MUTV watchalong from the stadium, while our app and dedicated women’s account on X (@ManUtdWomen) will also provide updates over the course of the day.

The match will be broadcast as it happens in the UK on both BBC One and Sky Sports.

TEAM NEWS

We should get a squad update from head coach Skinner later in the week, after he has welcomed back his players who have been away on international duty since our last game, a 2-1 extra-time loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup on 22 February.

Midfielder Hinata Miyazawa won’t return in time, as she is at the Asian Cup representing Japan, who are due to play in the quarter-finals this weekend.

A knock kept Fridolina Rolfo out of our four matches before the break but, encouragingly, the Sweden international was able to get minutes in her nation’s March fixtures against Italy and Serbia.

Leah Galton, Jayde Riviere, Anna Sandberg and Ella Toone are also recent absentees that Skinner may be able to provide the latest on. Celin Bizet Donnum remains unavailable as she is expecting a baby.

For Chelsea, Australian duo Ellie Carpenter and Sam Kerr are currently playing for the hosts at the Asian Cup, and are set to be involved in a last-eight tie that takes place two days before the final.

Captain Millie Bright missed the aforementioned cup tie between the teams but her injury isn't thought to be too serious, while Nathalie Bjorn, Niamh Charles, Catarina Macario and Mayra Ramirez have all been sidelined of late.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Sunday’s final will feature the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, alongside Goal Line Technology (GLT).

If the scores are level after 90 minutes, as they were in the FA Cup meeting at Kingsmeadow last month, the game will go to extra-time and potentially penalties.

JOURNEY TO THE FINAL

Both clubs received byes to the quarter-final stage of this season’s tournament, as a result of qualifying for the league phase of the UEFA Champions League.

United came from behind to beat Spurs 2-1 in the last eight, before Elisabeth Terland got the only goal of a tense semi-final away to Tottenham’s north-London rivals Arsenal.

Chelsea, meanwhile, made an emphatic start to their defence by hammering Liverpool 9-1 away from home, before going to Manchester City and edging a repeat of last year’s final, 1-0.