Our women's football expert Joe Rindl returns with a best bet and preview for Chelsea's FA Cup final with Manchester City on Sunday.
Football betting tips: Women's FA Cup final
1.5pts Sam Kerr to score anytime at 6/5 (Sky Bet)
1pt Man City to win trophy at 8/5 (Paddy Power)
0.5pts Man City to win in normal time 13/5 (Paddy Power)
Chelsea will be hoping to complete a league and cup double in the final of the Women’s FA Cup at Wembley Stadium on Sunday afternoon when they take on a Manchester City side in blistering form.
At the time of writing, 50,000 tickets have already been sold for the final.
Chelsea survived a scare against Manchester United to collect the three points they needed to lift the Women’s Super League title at Arsenal’s expense on the final day of the season last weekend.
It delivered a third WSL title in a row for the club and a 12th trophy for manager Emma Hayes, the reigning FIFA Coach of the Year.
The Blues are a domestic juggernaut, completing the league-FA Cup-WSL Cup treble last year, with the delayed final being played in December, seeing Chelsea beat rivals Arsenal 3-0.
Chelsea are aiming for a fourth FA Cup crown in their history, and have been sensational in the cup throughout this campaign. They beat WSL sides Aston Villa, Leicester and Birmingham by an aggregate scoreline of 15-1 before edging past Arsenal 2-0 in the semis.
It’s no surprise to see them the odds-on favourites at 19/20 with Sky Bet in this match-up.
But Manchester City should not be overlooked. The three-time winners are the reason Chelsea aren’t going for a double-treble, beating them 3-1 in the Conti Cup final back in March.
That match marked a real change in City’s season. Last year’s runners-up were plagued by injuries at the beginning of the campaign, with a 4-0 loss to Chelsea in November seeing them drop to ninth in the table, closer to the bottom than the top.
Many were calling for manager Gareth Taylor’s sacking, but the City boss stayed at the helm and since a 1-0 loss to Chelsea in February they have gone on a 13-match winning run, including their Conti Cup final win over the champions.
Their form helped them pip rivals Manchester United to third place in the league, the final Champions League qualification spot. From uncertainty pre-Christmas, the Sky Blues could end the season with more trophies than dominant Chelsea.
And do you know what? I wouldn't put it past them to lift their first FA Cup title since beating Everton after extra-time in the 2019-20 season.
Will Man City win the FA Cup?
Chelsea may be the league champions, but City’s form has been red hot over the past two months. At 8/5 TO LIFT THE TROPHY with Paddy Power, MAN CITY have to be backed on value.
The Sky Blues were 12/5 to win the Conti Cup in normal time last March - back when their form was still erratic. This time round, CITY are somehow longer with Paddy Power at 13/5 TO WIN INSIDE 90 MINUTES.
If you’re basing your predictions for this match off the league table I urge you to stop. Yes, Chelsea finished nine points clear of their rivals, but that was only down to City’s disastrous start to the season. Since mid-February, City have boasted a 100% record in the league. Nobody has collected more points since Christmas.
Man City are as good as Chelsea and their prices should be reflecting that.
Back Kerr to score
Chelsea's Sam Kerr has been the standout player in English women’s football this season.
The Australia international scored 20 goals in the WSL to finish top scorer for a second successive year - including a double in the Blues' final must-win match against Manchester United.
In a league full of superstars, the forward has risen to the top. It's no wonder then that she was presented with the 2022 Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award alongside Liverpool's Mohamed Salah in May.
KERR is 6/5 TO SCORE ANYTIME in the FA Cup final with Sky Bet despite being odds-on elsewhere. Backing her is a no-brainer.
Kerr has hit the target in eight of her past nine matches. She scored the opener when these two met in the Conti Cup final and scored two when Chelsea beat Arsenal in last year's final in December.
Even if Chelsea lose, side with the striker who has scored just under one third of the Blues' goals this season to find the net.
Women's FA Cup final best bets and score prediction
- 1.5pts Sam Kerr to score anytime at 6/5 (Sky Bet)
- 1pt Man City to win trophy at 8/5 (Paddy Power)
- 0.5pts Man City to win in normal time 13/5 (Paddy Power)
Score prediction: Chelsea 1-2 Man City (Sky Bet odds: 10/1)
Odds correct at 1130 BST (12/05/22)
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