Man City 0-2 Man United: Celin Bizet and Grace Clinton help Red Devils book a spot at Wembley for the third consecutive season

When Celin Bizet decided to head north to join her best friend and Tottenham Hotspur teammate Grace Clinton at Manchester United at the beginning of the season, it was regarded as quite the coup.

The two had played a pivotal role in helping the north London side to their first ever FA Cup final, and today, they both did their bit to ensure they would be returning to Wembley once again, this time in red rather than white.

Of course, United beat Spurs 4-0 under the famous arch last year, with Ella Toone scoring a sublime opener as Clinton watched on from the sidelines, forced to miss out as her parent club lifted their first piece of silverware.

Since then, Clinton’s star has continued to rise through her performances both at United and on the international stage, where the 22-year-old midfielder has seized her opportunity amidst a spate of Lioness injuries and established her place in Sarina Wiegman’s starting XI.

Bizet, meanwhile, has continued to put in solid performance after solid performance for the Reds, slipping under the radar as many non-English players unfortunately often do in the women’s game in this country.

And together the pair, thick as thieves off the pitch, helped ensure Marc Skinner would have a chance to rectify United’s 2023 defeat against Chelsea – after Sonia Bompastor booked the Blues’ spot in the final by beating Liverpool 2-1 yesterday.

Clinton doubled the Reds’ advantage after being the first to meet Gabby George’s corner kick

Mary Fowler was forced off in the first half after coming down on her knee in a blow for City

‘I took Grace off because she was on a yellow and I couldn’t risk her potentially not being part of the final squad again, because she doesn’t deserve that,’ said Skinner, who was full of praise for the duo after the match.

‘It was a hard choice because I thought she (Clinton) was the best player in the park. Her duelling, her (performances) in and out possession, her ability to change a game with a dribble.

‘And Celin on the other side, she’s kept Geyse out. And that’s why inevitably Geyse has had to go on loan because Celine’s come in and been a breath of fresh air in both the offensive and defensive phases. 

‘We’re the best pressing team in the country, I have no doubt about that, and that’s through their work rate. That’s the detail they’ve added to us.’

United flew out of the traps, pressing high as Elisabeth Terland got an early touch on Khiara Keating’s clearance in the opening few seconds.

The City keeper had a nightmare against them in their WSL fixture last November – her errors costing two of the four goals City conceded on the night – and the United fans were doing their part to remind the young Lioness shot-stopper about it.

She had no hand in Bizet’s unstoppable sixth-minute strike, however.

Ella Toone pinged the ball from deep and Bizet made a well-timed run, taking one touch to control it, another to cut it back on to her more dominant right foot, before firing it past Keating’s outstretched hand into the far-right corner, taking her tally to six goal involvements in three FA Cup appearances for the Reds.

Just over 10 minutes later Mary Fowler appeared to jar her knee. The Australian star was already sporting some heavy blue tape on her hamstring and, while lunging for a ball, landed awkwardly on it and was forced to withdraw after a lengthy pause in play.

Victory sees United book a Wembley meeting with Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea in the final

The final whistle blew and the United fans rejoiced in the opportunity to make it two in two 

The BBC coverage shifted to City’s injury-depleted squad – just two players short of a complete XI – sitting sombrely in the stands, visibly disheartened as they watched another join their rank. City boss Nick Cushing later said that the medical team were not ‘fearing the worst’ although it is still too early too tell the extent of the damage to the Australian forward.

Fowler was still walking around the pitch when United won a corner kick. Gabby George curled it in and Clinton was the first to meet it, heading it past Keating to double the visitors’ advantage in enemy territory.

City finally seemed to come to life after going two goals down with Kerolin – one of City’s last remaining creative outlets – attempting the spectacular with an overhead kick which forced United keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce to tip over the bar.

The United keeper had an excellent afternoon, keeping out Yui Hasegawa’s free-kick in the second half with a wonderful double save.

And United celebrated every positive defensive effort as if they had scored a goal, a situation noticed by their opposition coach on the day.

‘One thing you saw with Manchester United is a team that have really pulled together, galvanised and fight for each other,’ Cushing said.

The hosts saw more of the ball in the second half while Marc Skinner sent on Dominique Janssen and Lisa Naalsund to shore up the defence.

When the referee announced there would be seven minutes of added time United took the ball to the corner flag, protecting their precious two-goal lead.

The final whistle blew and the United fans rejoiced in the opportunity to make it two in two – with only the small matter of Sonia Bompastor’s frighteningly good Chelsea side to overcome.