Five players set to take the Women's FA Cup semi-finals by storm

Holders Manchester City host Chelsea at The Academy Stadium while Brighton travel to Meadow Park to take on Arsenal - with both set to be blockbuster clashes.

Gareth Taylor's Manchester City have won three of the last four Women's FA Cups, with Chelsea claiming the other.

And Brighton will be seeking their first Women's FA Cup title, while Jonas Eidevall's Arsenal have won the competition a record 14 times.

But just who are the stars to look out for in this enticing tournament?

Here are the five key players to focus your attention on before the semi-finals…

Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal)

Hailing from the Netherlands, Miedema was already a sensation before joining Arsenal in 2017.

Prior to becoming a Gunner, 39 different clubs made inquiries about taking on Miedema before she signed a three-year contract with Bayern Munich.

Miedema was flying high at the German club where she netted 52 goals in 78 appearances in all competitions and played a key role in winning two Bundesliga titles as well as holding the title of top scorer in the 2016-17 Champions League season.

Having made 110 appearances for Arsenal, Miedema has already hit the incredible milestone of scoring her 100th goal for the Gunners in the Women's Champions League qualifier - she's certainly prolific!

Not only is the 25-year-old thriving in the forward position, she believes she can also conquer playing as an attacking midfielder.

Miedema said: "I know I have my goal scoring qualities, but I like setting people up. I like to drop and pick up the ball and see if I can send someone through on goal."

Sam Kerr (Chelsea)

Australian forward Kerr has definitely made her mark in the footballing world, having played for five clubs before joining Chelsea in 2019.

Chicago Red Stars was her previous club where she became a proven goalscorer, being named the NWSL's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for 2019 after scoring a record 19 goals in 23 games to secure a third-consecutive golden boot.

Kerr shocked Chelsea spectators when scored her first goal against Arsenal for the Blue's just two weeks after joining the club.

The 28-year-old led Chelsea to win the 2020-21 FA WSL title, scoring 21 goals in 22 games and winning the Golden Boot, which made her the first player to win it in three different leagues.

Numerous milestones and individual honours have been ticked off, including being the first Australian (male or female) to score a hat-trick at a World Cup and being named as the 2017 Asian Football Confederation's Women's Footballer of the Year.

The talented forward is not only clinical in front of goal, she possesses raw pace, a deadly touch and strong leadership qualities.

Inessa Kaagman (Brighton)

Dutch professional Inessa Kaagman moved to Brighton & Hove Albion with 31 appearances and five goals from her former club, Everton.

Kaagman made quite the impression during her two year spell with the Toffees, especially after winning the Everton Goal of the Season for the outstanding long-range strike in the Merseyside derby.

The 25-year-old had a great start at Brighton as she finished top scorer last season with eight goals, helping Albion to a sixth-place finish, their highest ever league finish in the Women's Super League.

And Brighton manager Hope Powell has nothing but praise to share for her wonderful midfielder.

Powell said: "Inessa has made such a big impression in her first season, not only does she score goals, but she can play in a variety of positions and brings experience and calmness to the team.

"She is a great role model for the younger players and we feel she can have an even bigger impact with us."

Lauren Hemp (Man City)

Having impressed during her outings for Team GB at last summer's Olympics, Lauren Hemp is one of Manchester City's outstanding wingers.

Hemp joined her Manchester side in 2018 after scoring nine goals in 24 appearances for former club, Bristol City.

She has been influential for Man City over the last year, winning the PFA's Young Player of the Year award for the third time in her career for her performances last season.

Hemp is regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in Women's English football, with her pace and driving runs making her a nightmare for full backs to deal with.

Kim Little (Arsenal)

Having joined Arsenal from Seattle Reign FC in January 2017, Little completed a return to the club she played for between 2008 and 2013.

The Arsenal captain has an incredibly impressive resumé, winning a total of twenty-two trophies throughout an illustrious career, reaching over 200 appearances for Arsenal in 2020, and is a member of Arsenal's 100-club.

Before retiring from international duties, the 31-year-old scored 59 goals in 140 appearances for Scotland and also helped her native country qualify for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, their first appearance in a world finals.