While Chelsea are bidding to reach their seventh Women’s FA Cup Final, it would be a first for any of the other semi-finalists.
Emma Hayes’ side have lifted the trophy for the past two seasons, winning for the first of four times in 2015.
Aston Villa stand in the way of the Blues’ fifth Wembley final but the league meeting at Walsall just a fortnight ago saw Chelsea run out 3-0 victors, having also won 3-1 at Kingsmeadow in October.
Aston Villa boss Carla Ward told told Villa TV: “Anybody that tells you that they don’t dream of getting to an FA Cup Final from a young age, I don’t believe them.
“Whatever level of the game you are involved in, you want to walk out at Wembley and if we can do that with this Aston Villa side, then I would be delighted because we have had a really good season, but this would top it off.
“We have had some really good moments this season but to get to Wembley – for the fans, for this football club, the staff and the players – would be the biggest moment.”
Manchester United and Brighton are at opposite ends of the BWSL table and also met on the first weekend of this month, when the Reds won 4-0 away to the Seagulls. The outcome had been the same at their earlier league fixture.
Reds’ head coach Marc Skinner said in his pre-match press conference: “We have a very difficult task ahead of us and this is what I am trying to talk about – the mentality from my group and my players is that we go and hunt any opponent that stands in the way of us and success.
“Brighton specifically will be very tough to play against, so we had better be ready for that.”
Melissa Phillips, Brighton’s new boss told brightonandhovealbion.com: “What an achievement for the club to be in the FA Cup semi-final, we certainly look forward to testing ourselves against the team top of the table.
“We have the learnings from the league match two weeks ago to propel us into Saturday and the games that follow.”
Vitality Women’s FA Cup Semi-Finals:
Saturday 15 April
Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion (Leigh Sports Village, 5.15pm)
– live on BBC Two/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website
Sunday 16 April
Aston Villa v Chelsea (Walsall FC, 2.15pm)
– live on BBC One/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website)
