The Blues created plenty in the first half on a sunny afternoon at Kingsmeadow, but were thwarted by a series of fine saves from Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce.

Both sides exchanged blows as the second half progressed, but neither made the decisive move. That was until substitute Sam Kerr struck a low shot across goal and into the back of the net, putting us in front with 12 minutes to play.

That joy was short-lived, though, as the visitors struck back just three minutes later when Simi Awujo converted from close range following a scramble in the box.

The match then ticked into extra-time, and there was a moment of celebration when Kadeisha Buchanan was introduced for the first time since November 2024 having completed her recovery from an ACL injury.

As for the outcome of the match, that felt very uncertain. The teams had been evenly matched throughout, but when Girma bundled the ball over the line in the first period of extra-time, it seemed like the Blues had got a clear advantage for the first time in the game.

It took some determined defending to navigate some intense late pressure from the Reds, but Chelsea's winning mentality shone through as we put together a team effort to seal our place in the FA Cup quarter-final.

Positive start

Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor made just one change from the side that defeated Liverpool last Sunday, bringing in Lucy Bronze in place of Sandy Baltimore. With Millie Bright still sidelined, Erin Cuthbert wore the armband for a second match in a row.

And the team got off to a positive start when Alyssa Thompson beat her marker on the left-hand side and pulled the ball back to Sjoeke Nusken, who fired just over the bar with our first attempt on goal.

The Blues continued to pile on the pressure early on, with Johanna Rytting Kaneryd seeing her shot from the edge of the area blocked, and Thompson forcing a superb top-hand save from Manchester United stopper Tullis-Joyce.

Shots exchanged

With 25 minutes gone, it was the visitors' turn to take a chance at goal. Jess Park put plenty of power behind her near-post shot, but with the angle tight, the number eight blazed her attempt over the crossbar.

Next, Erin Cuthbert whipped in a dangerous ball from a corner, and if it wasn't for some decisive action from Tullis-Joyce, the ball could well have dipped under the crossbar. The game was opening up.

Minutes later, today's captain took another corner-kick, and it once again caused problems for the Reds' backline as Girma nudged the ball towards goal, only for her attempt to be hacked off the line.

The half concluded when Keira Walsh played an inch-perfect through ball for Lauren James. Bearing down on goal, the Chelsea number 10 shot was well struck, but Tullis-Joyce was equal to it as she pulled off another fine save.

Defence holds firm

The second half began with the visitors attempting to keep the ball and control the game. Our first attempt on goal after the break came courtesy of Thompson, who twisted and turned her way into enough space to take a shot, but it was claimed easily by Tullis-Joyce.

Yet Man United's confidence was growing and – as a result of a sustained spell of pressure – Lisa Naalsund and Melvine Malard both saw their shots blocked.

There was a collective gasp from the crowd at Kingsmeadow when Park slammed a brilliant effort from distance onto the frame of the goal just after the hour mark, leaving the Blues' clean sheet still intact, but only just.

A goal apiece

Bompastor turned to her substitutes bench and introduced Kerr with 20 minutes of normal time to play, and that turned out to be a masterstroke. The Australian did exactly what she does best, finding the back of the net in what had been an incredibly close encounter.

It was young defender Veerle Buurman who headed Ellie Carpenter's curling cross back across goal, and striker Kerr made no mistake as she swung her strike across Tullis-Joyce and into the bottom corner.

A goal had been so long in coming that it felt like it could be the match-winner, but our lead lasted just three minutes. A long free-kick was played into the box and ricocheted around until Simi Awujo took advantage of the chaos and fired in from close range.

Extra-time breakthrough

There was a huge roar from the Chelsea faithful when Bompastor introduced the returning Buchanan at the beginning of extra-time, as the Canadian entered the pitch alongside fellow substitutes Guro Reiten and Wieke Kaptein.

And as the two teams went to battle once more, the Blues looked determined to find a way through. We did exactly that from a corner, when Girma was quickest to react to a loose ball in the box. She stabbed her shot into the net to give us a key advantage in the first half of the additional period. It was the defender's first goal in her club career, and what a time to score it!

Substitute Kaptein pulled a shot just wide after the short interval, and Girma made a key defensive block in the six-yard box to keep a shot from Lea Schuller out of the net.

There were nerves all around the ground when Man United won a free-kick, and Tullis-Joyce came striding forward to contest it, but Hannah Hampton was a pair of safe hands between the sticks when the shot came in from opposition skipper Maya Le Tissier.

As one minute was held up on the board, Tullis-Joyce came forward once more, and some determined defending saw us make clearance after clearance as the Reds piled on the pressure.

It was a game which had a bit of everything, but ultimately saw Chelsea come out on top against high-level opposition.

What it means...

Chelsea are in the draw for the Women's FA Cup quarter-final, which will take place from 7pm on Monday evening.

What comes next...

The Chelsea players will head off to represent their respective national sides as domestic action takes a pause for the international break. We return to action when we play Manchester United once more in the Women's League Cup final on 15 March at Ashton Gate.

The teams

Chelsea: Hampton, Carpenter, Buurman, Girma, Bronze (Buchanan 90), Nusken (Kaptein 90), Walsh, Cuthbert (c), James (Reiten 90), Thompson (Kerr 72), Rytting Kaneryd (Baltimore h/t)
Unused subs: Peng, Spencer, Potter, Beever-Jones
Scorers: Kerr 78, Girma 99
Booked: James 83

Manchester United: Tullis-Joyce, Le Tissier (c), Lundkvist, Park, Malard, Naalsund (Schuller 105), Janssen, Zigiotti (Awujo 70), Wangerheim (Terland 70), Miyazawa (Drury 111), Turner (George 105)
Unused subs: Rendell, Middleton-Patel, Anderson
Scorers: Awujo 81
Booked: Janssen 77, Le Tissier 110

Referee: Phoebe Cross