35 min: Zelem’s delivery is impeccable and it is directed toward goal but Thomas has a goal line clearance. Tottenham’s defence stepping up today. There were claims from United of a handball from Spence but nothing has been given. VAR is in operation.

34 min: Zelem plays it short to Toone, she is well marked by Naz but she concedes a corner.

33 min: United have a free kick with Le Tissier fouled but it is deep in their own half and so they will need to build from deep. A huge pass from Earps gets them in the right area and Le Tissier wins another free kick, this time from an England foul. The set piece is in a great position.

32 min: Both clubs have had their chances in this final but both are missing the clinical edge. United have definitely had the more promising of efforts, particularly through Williams, but nothing to break the deadlock yet. United have the latest chance with a great pass from Turner to Galton, she gets it to Williams but Buhler defends well to clear.

30 min: Galton is dispossessed by James-Turner as this final continues to be a pinball in terms of chances and possession. Spurs come forward here, Vinberg pops it in but the pass is behind Thomas and so the chance is gone.

28 min: Tottenham have a free kick with a high boot on Naz, Summanen takes the set piece and it it headed toward goal but it doesn’t have enough on it to trouble Earps.

26 min: Garcia makes a great run and cross into the box, Williams heads it down to Toone but her effort is over the bar. Toone has scored three goals in her last six appearances at Wembley.

25 min: Play is now back underway.

24 min: United have a loose pass and Summanen pops the long ball forward but it has too much on it so Earps can collect. There is a drinks break here now, pitch side temperature is 28 degrees.

22 min: Chants of “come on you Spurs” reverberates around Wembley as United look to attack once again. The high press from Tottenham forces them back to Earps.

20 min: Zelem delivers well again, Turner heads it down away from Spencer. It comes to Garcia but Summanen puts in an amazing challenge to see the ball over and out for a goal kick. Without that superb defence the deadlock would have been broken.

19 min: United having a patient build-up with multiple passes between their backline. Eventually they get it forward, a great long range pass from Galton gets them into the final third and United win yet another corner.

18 min: Spurs are slowly edging up the pitch with a series of throw ins but the United defence is tight to them and it forces them backwards. It comes to James-Turner, who losses out to Williams but Neville is able to win it back to save the club’s blushes.

16 min: Spurs work it really well on the counter, an expert cross from Neville after a cracking run but Vinberg’s header is over the bar. Such a tasty final!

14 min: Zelem is standing over the set piece again, the delivery from the captain is pinpoint again – she is so good on a corner ball. It is Williams who finds the ball again but her header this time is wide. She is averaging a goal every 33 minutes in this competition so far this season.

13 min: Riviere is absolutely everywhere at the moment for United, she has had the most impact for her club so far. She launches United’s latest attack and it ends with a corner for the reds.

12 min: United wanted a free kick for a foul on Riviere but the referee says play on, The cross comes in to Thomas but Le Tissier sees it out. The corner is not given though and Earps has a goal kick. A really solid start from both teams in this final.

10 min: Some really good Tottenham defence as United cross it into the box twice but the London club calmly clear it. United keep coming and there is a battle between Vilden and Garcia but the Spain star is offside.

8 min: England is being swarmed when on the ball and she is muscled off as Spurs look to put together another attack. Riviere looks to clear and Naz presses high but gives away a foul, United clear.

6 min: Both players are back to their feet, a really good sign for both clubs. United have a corner as Spencer saw it off with that save. Zelem takes it and the delivery is beautiful, Williams rises and gets a head to it but it’s over the bar. A hugely powerful effort but just off target.

David Wall has emailed and said: “Is starting Williams instead of Parris actually a pretty smart decision from Skinner, a recognition of conditions? The thought would surely be to let Rachael Williams do the donkey work against the Spurs defence for the first 50-60 minutes, run them around while people still have a bit of energy, etc. Then, when people are getting tired from the heat, the pitch, and the draining effect of the occasion, you bring on your younger, quicker players, like Parris, Malard, and Geyse, to exploit that tiredness.

“Of course that’ll only pay off and seem smart if the game is still in balance by that point. But it’s not as though Williams isn’t an effective centre-forward in her own right anyway. “

That’s not a bad theory and probably plays a part but I think Skinner is also reflecting on the semi-final. Williams performed well there and is the top-scorer in the competition.

4 min: Vinberg gets in a good position and she gets a shot away but it is over the bar, a bright start from Spurs. It’s end-to-end as Manchester United hit back and Galton have an effort but Spencer comes out and defends so well. She has hurt herself in the process, Galton also down.

2 min: Thomas has taken an early knock from Le Tissier but she is okay to continue. A good battle that will be today.

Kick-off! Manchester United 0-0 Tottenham

The Spurs fans have been unbelievably loud since the players have emerged, they are the ones being heard at Wembley so far.

The players are out on the pitch and Jim Denvir is there to watch them come out the tunnel. He has emailed and said: “My new wife and I are at Wembley as the last stop on our honeymoon, which took in Rome, the Cinque Terre, Milan, Zurich, Paris (for an hour) and then London.

“Having grown up a Spurs fan in Enfield in the 1980s and lived the last quarter century in West Virginia, hearing Spurs co-opting “Take me home, United Roads” as “Take me home, Tottenham Roads”, itself of course co-opted from the West Virginia state song, was perhaps the most bizarre, and perhaps unifying moment. The scenes here are incredible, so much excitement, and the stadium is starting to fill.”

Congratulations Jim! I hope you enjoy the final.

Our weekly free women’s football newsletter, Moving the Goalposts, focuses on the final and looks specifically on Tottenham’s journey to the biggest stage, take a read:

Do you want to know what the fans are thinking? Well Suzy Wrack has you covered, have a read of the piece all about fan’s anticipating what will happen in this final at a sold-out Wembley:

“That experience is like such a massive driver,” says Aoife Mannion of the 2023 Women’s FA Cup final. “The fact that we weren’t able to win the final last year just gives us all the more impetus and makes us so hungry to try to win.” Read the full interview:

I’d love to hear from you. This week has been abuzz about northern lights sightings, I saw them and I’m in Bath, and so I was wondering what other wonders of the world have you seen? Let me know and of course I also want to hear your thoughts on the final. Get in touch via email or X (@rendellx).

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner is not under-estimating their opponent’s in today’s final. “You would be a fool to go in and feel super confident that you will walk this final,” he said. “Tottenham are a very, very good team. On their day, they can beat anyone in this league.

“We’re pretty humble people and Tottenham deserve to be in the final and not have the underdog status. If you get to a final, you deserve to be in the final.”

Tottenham Hotspur manager Robert Vilahamn says Wembley not only meets a club dream but his own personally too. “I remember as a kid, that stadium was the biggest one I knew and so it was my dream to get there one day,” he said.

“I’ve been working pretty much for 30 years to get to this stadium, so it’s more like enjoying the ride. The feelings I get with that is of course a mixture of stress and happiness.

“But I’m more looking forward to the game and hopefully we will win. If we lose I will be very upset but I know a few weeks after that I will still be very proud of what we have done, so it’s a good feeling.”

There will be a drinks break in each half of the final today because the temperature at Wembley is above 27 degrees.

I would like to have witnessed Nikita Parris’ reaction to starting from the bench for this FA Cup final. Reports suggest she turned down big money, around £1 million, from an American club in order to play at Wembley today.

Some fans are frustrated she is on the bench but remember she, Geyse and Malard were also on the bench in the semi-final against Chelsea. It worked out that day, will the risk pay off again?

I think we’ve seen this film before and Liverpool didn’t like the ending. Tottenham have chosen to wear white suits to Wembley, reminiscent of the infamous suits worn by the Liverpool men’s team in the 1996 cup final which they lost 1-0 to Manchester United. A strange decision to emulate losers or is a pure coincidence?

The team news is here. Nikita Parris, Melvine Malard and Geyse all start from the bench for United. Rachel Williams starts.

Manchester United:

There are no surprises from Tottenham with the likes of Martha Thomas and BEth England starting.

Tottenham:

You can’t speak about stars in the Manchester United team without speaking about goalkeeper Mary Earps. Keepers are sometimes overlooked but the England number one continually performs at a high level for her club. She came up with some magnificent saves in the semi to clinch the win over Chelsea and there’s no doubt she will have a say in this final.

Manchester United may as a club have more experience on this stage but Tottenham do have players who have been here before. And one star who has been on the stage multiple times is Beth England. She has won two Women’s FA Cups with Chelsea. She has also more than proven able to score under pressure so she will be one star United will have to keep quiet.

Tottenham may not be able to play Grace Clinton but they do have a former Manchester United player in their ranks who is in top form: Martha Thomas. She joined Spurs last summer and her impact at the club has been instantaneous. She is likely to start today, alongside Beth England, and they will be looking to cause an upset at Wembley.

Starting Nikita Parris may seem like a no-brainer, she is among the top-scorers after all. But manager Marc Skinner did not start her in the semi-final against Chelsea. opting for Rachel Williams instead. It turned out to be the correct selection call as Williams scored the winner which saw her rise to become the competition’s top-scorer. Either way United have a quality player up front, but which will Skinner pick? All will be revealed soon.

So who is favourite in this final? I think both clubs have a good chance of clinching the trophy but it will be Manchester United who have the edge before kick-off. The club have been in the final before and so they have the experience. But Spurs will be capable of putting the cat among the pigeons and they have done so already this season in the competition. They knocked out Manchester City in the quarter-final.

Preamble