Manchester United are splitting their hierarchy today as the men’s team hosts Arsenal in a crucial Premier League match while the women’s side contests the FA Cup final against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium.
Minority investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be in attendance at Old Trafford as the men look to keep pace with Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for continental qualification.
Co-owner Avram Glazer, meanwhile, will be in London as the women seek to lift the FA Cup for the first time in their history. Glazer and Ratcliffe attended the men’s FA Cup semi-final together last month, which United won on penalties against Championship side Coventry City.
United say there will also be several senior representatives from INEOS, the petrochemicals company which Ratcliffe owns, at Wembley including CFO Roger Bell — who took up the same role at United earlier this month — and directors Tom Crotty, Jill Dolan, Debra Smeeton and Pete Williams. Ratcliffe also sent a message of good luck to the women’s team and manager Marc Skinner ahead of the match, which kicks off two hours before the men play Arsenal.
Skinner’s side reached the final after beating Chelsea 2-1 in their semi-final last month. They also played in last year’s final but suffered a 1-0 defeat by Chelsea.
Erik ten Hag’s men’s side have slipped to eighth in the Premier League after one win — the 4-2 victory over now-relegated Sheffield United — in their last seven league matches. They know they must finish seventh in order to secure continental football for next season, given they also face Manchester City in a repeat of last year’s men’s FA Cup final.
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