Chelsea and Arsenal battle to reach final

WEMBLEY, and a second all-London Women’s FA Cup Final in three years, beckons for Chelsea and Arsenal this weekend as they contest contrasting semi-finals.

Arsenal, whose 2-0 defeat of Chelsea in the 2016 final was their 14th triumph, visit outsiders Everton on Sunday lunchtime.

Three hours later Chelsea, whose sole success in this competition was the first Wembley final in 2015, host holders Manchester City in a clash of the Women’s Super

League top two.

Both teams are chasing a treble having also reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Chelsea have edged ahead of City in the league, with the defending champions showing signs of fatigue. But Emma Hayes’s side have their own concerns with leading striker Fran Kirby (above) sent back by England last weekend due to injury worries.

That followed the withdrawal of defenders Millie Bright and Hannah Blundell. With another defender, Anita Asante, out for the season Hayes will hope to have Bright and Blundell back for the match at Kingsmeadow. The clubs drew both their league matches, City coming back from two down in the most recent encounter, but they won their Continental Tyres Cup semi-final 1-0.

Everton were once Arsenal’s main challengers defeating them in the 2010 final but funding was reduced and they sunk into WSL2.

Promoted last season they are a young but improving side, who have only lost 1-0 and 2-0 to Arsenal this season. But the Gunners will be expected to progress in the tie at Marine FC’s ground.

Having already lifted the Continental Tyres Cup new Australian boss Joe Montemurro is seeking a cup double, and still harbours hope of overhauling Chelsea and City in the league.

⬤ Everton v Arsenal (12.30pm) and Chelsea v Man City (3.30pm), Sunday, live on BBC