'Desperate to win' - Man City Women chase perfect end to a season like no other in FA Cup final

A sense of injustice has driven Manchester City Women this season, and if they lift the FA Cup this weekend they will surely have silenced any remaining doubters.

"You can easily say we were written off," goalkeeper Karen Bardsley tells MEN Sport, with other players inside the dressing room also referring to the outside criticism of City when a crippling injury crisis at the start of the season left them down in ninth in the Women's Super League and out of the Champions League before the group stage.

Since a League Cup group defeat to Manchester United in November, though, City have arguably already proved those doubters wrong. Just one defeat in 23 games (and a narrow one at that) saw the Blues win the Continental Cup, overtake United to finish in third in the WSL, and reach Sunday's FA Cup final at Wembley. Now they're looking for that one last win to show they are ready to challenge Chelsea for the WSL title next season.

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"We were sitting down fifth or seventh at one point at the beginning and people said 'you're never gonna be able to get back from that' and 'what an embarrassment' and things like that," Bardsley recalls.

"Yeah, it does kind of feel as though we were written off. We weren't involved in the title race, but you by the end, it was squeaky bum time for a few other clubs.

"We've really managed to turn things around. Obviously, after the start of the season. After the injuries we've been really fortunate to get the majority of everyone fit. And it's been really impressive to see, just like how fluid the performances have been, you know, like it's been just really consistent.

"Okay, maybe they've not been full 90 minute