The road to Wembley has taken opposing paths for Sonia Bompastor and Marc Skinner. For Bompastor, her debut season in England as head coach at Chelsea could not have gone any smoother on the domestic front, as the champions seek to complete an unbeaten treble. For Manchester United and Skinner, a return to the Women’s FA Cup final for the holders is the latest step of a tumultuous journey for the manager in the dugout, but one that he continues to lead.
There have been points where Skinner and United could have taken another turn. Last season, they reached the FA Cup final having dropped to fifth in the Women’s Super League from runners-up the year before. But their 4-0 victory over Tottenham and the club’s first major honour on a jubilant, sun-kissed day was a sign of progress, and Skinner signed a new contract extension. The critics, including any dissenting United fans, were silenced.
