FAWPL semi final draw

The FA Tesco Women's Premier League Cup 
Semi Finals
Sunday 9 December 2007

Merseyside rivals Everton and Liverpool avoided each other in this morning's FA Tesco Women's Premier League Cup semi final draw, but will both travel south on 9 December.

Everton's reward for a 3-0 victory over Sunderland thanks to a brace from Fara Williams and one from Michelle Evans is a trip to take on high-flying Watford, after The Hornets beat Birmingham City 3-2.

Holders Arsenal will host Liverpool in the other semi final after The Gunners ended Chelsea's hopes with a 3-1 quarter final victory, with Karen Carney, Jayne Ludlow and Lianne Sanderson on the scoresheet.

Liverpool caused a minor upset when they travelled to Blackburn Rovers and came away with a 3-2 victory, thanks to former Evertonian Chantelle Parry's (pictured above left) hat-trick.

Players from Arsenal and Everton will be hoping to finish matters in normal time, as they have been invited later that evening to join the rest of England's World Cup squad at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards in Birmingham.

For Everton midfielder Jill Scott, there is another motivation. "In my playing career to date i've never reached a Final, and so on a personal level, but for the club too, i'm desperate to beat Watford" she told TheFA.com.

"They've been in good form recently, score a lot of goals, and in the week were holding Arsenal 0-0 until the game was abandoned - after thieves broke into the Arsenal changing room, stealing players' possesions - so we know it won't be at all easy.

"Funnily enough we've got them in the league this coming weekend, so you could say whoever gets a result then will maybe have a psychological advantage.

"We haven't played many domestic games but after six matches in the UEFA Cup we feel that as a squad we're getting stronger as every game goes by and there's a real 'feelgood factor' in the squad, so it'll be a hard game to call."

Arsenal skipper meanwhile Faye White had to watch on mostly from the sidelines last season as Arsenal swept all aside on their relentless march to the quadruple. Talking to TheFA.com after today's draw Faye said:

"We had a tough game against Liverpool at their place at the beginning of the season. Although that game ended 4-1 to us in the end, they showed tremendous work rate and with the fact that this will be a cup game and that there is a place in a final at stake I’m sure they will come to us determined to cause an upset. 

"We have a hectic schedule leading up to Christmas and it will be a tough test to defend all four trophies that we won last season but come 9 December I know we will want to be in that Final just as bad as we did last season."