The Wirral-born defender came through the ranks at Liverpool and grew up a Red, playing almost 60 times for her boyhood club before making the switch to Chelsea in 2020.

Liverpool boss Matt Beard, who Charles briefly overlapped with on Merseyside, is in his second spell in charge having guided the Reds to WSL glory in 2013 and 2014. That was just as Charles’ love of the game was blossoming.

‘Growing up at that time, when Liverpool were dominating, set the tone,’ recalls Charles on the eve of today’s FA Cup clash.

‘They were definitely ahead in the women’s game for a couple of years before the other teams caught up. He’s a massive part of Liverpool’s history and it’s nice to see him back again, and also reunited with a few players like Gemma Bonner going back there.

‘They know what it takes to win, having been there and done that.’

The current Liverpool squad also know how it feels to beat Chelsea, having done so in the opening fixture of this campaign fresh from winning promotion from the FA Women’s Championship. They remain the only side to have got the better of us this term, and Charles is prepared for another tricky fixture.

‘I think no matter who we’re playing, every game at this stage of the season is massive. They did well on the first day and that definitely wasn’t the way we wanted to start the season, but we’ve bounced back really well and we’re building some good momentum as well.

‘We’d want to win this game anyway, but hopefully it’ll be a little extra motivation.’

Charles grew up watching Arsenal triumph in this competition, but more recently it has been Chelsea with the upper hand in the FA Cup. We have won it four times since our maiden triumph in 2015, with Charles getting her hands on the prestigious trophy in each of her two completed campaigns in west London.

‘Growing up as an English-born player, you know the history behind the FA Cup and how well-regarded it is in English football,’ she explains.

‘The final is an iconic day, you look in the calendar to see when it is, and having it at Wembley is where it deserves to be. You can see that with the crowds we get, and it just adds to the story of the FA Cup, which is how it should be.’