Manchester United had waited a long time for their moment in the sun.
After a weekend when the Northern Lights had lit up the London skyline, it was a northern team who shined brightest at Wembley.
This is United’s first major trophy since the club was re-formed in 2018 and after what has been a disappointing season in the Women’s Super League, this victory gives Marc Skinner something to celebrate.
Many United fans had insisted before kick-off that winning the FA Cup would not make up for their domestic performance and Skinner’s future at the club is still uncertain, with the manager yet to sign a new contract.
But regardless of how popular he is and how successful this season will be viewed, no one can take away that he is the first man to lift a significant piece of silverware.
Manchester United have won their first major trophy after beating Tottenham 4-0 at Wembley
Ella Toone’s (left) superb long-range strike put United ahead just before half-time
Kate Zelem’s free-kick picked out Rachel Williams and forward headed the ball home
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‘We have to use this as a springboard to make sure this isn’t a one off,’ Skinner said. ‘We need to compete better in the league on a consistent basis to be up there again. We know as a club that we want to be winning titles.
‘This has to be the impetus and springboard for us to know that we can deliver success for this fantastic club.’
It is also United’s first trophy of the INEOS era but it was Avram Glazer, rather than Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who was present at Wembley.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was present, but Spurs’ players seemed slightly overawed by their first Wembley appearance. They had stayed in the game until Ella Toone’s superb strike put United ahead just before half-time and from that moment onwards they crumbled.
‘Man United deserved it, they had a really good day,’ boss Robert Vilahamn said. ‘We need to look at the whole FA Cup and the fact we are playing at Wembley. It’s a really good journey we have done this year. I know we will come back. It is not the end today, it is just the beginning.’
United’s main threat came from set-pieces and they had a number of chances to break the deadlock in the opening stages.
Rachel Williams should have scored from two Katie Zelem corners but could only send both of her efforts over the bar.
Lucia Garcia then headed another Zelem delivery over the bar, before Matha Thomas made a goal-line clearance to keep out Millie Turner’s effort.
In the end it was not a set piece but a moment of quality that saw United open the scoring, seconds before half-time. Lisa Naalsund laid the ball off to Toone, who was given time and space to shoot from the edge of the box and the forward unleashed a phenomenal strike into the top right corner. Toone is a player for the big occasion and her strike was her fourth goal at Wembley in seven appearances.
Spurs did not learn from United’s threat from set-pieces and United finally made them pay from one in the 55th minute. Zelem’s free-kick picked out Williams and this time the forward headed the ball past Spencer and into the bottom right corner.
Becky Spencer tried to play from the back but passed the ball to Garcia (left), who capitalised
Lisa Naalsund teed up Garcia (right), who fired a shot up over the head of a helpless Spencer
Man United boss Marc Skinner will have something to celebrate after a disappointing WSL season
Melvine Malard raises the trophy as United players celebrate their victory on Sunday
Three minutes later it was game over as a Becky Spencer howler gifted United a third. The goalkeeper tried to play out from the back but passed the ball straight to Garcia, who fired into an empty net.
Tottenham could have pulled a goal back when Bethany England met Amanda Nilden’s cross, but the forward’s effort struck the crossbar.
United did not ease off and a fourth goal came in the 74th minute when Naalsund teed up Garcia, who fired a shot up over the head of a helpless Spencer.
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