Man Utd make history! Red Devils beat Arsenal to reach Women's League Cup final for first time as Canada star Olivia Smith is sent off

With no goals coming in their two WSL meetings this season, another tight game was predicted beforehand but Arsenal should have broken the deadlock inside just 30 seconds when Frida Maanum headed straight at Phallon Tullis-Joyce when found unmarked inside the penalty area.

Norway international Maanum, one of five changes from the Arsenal side that beat Aston Villa 2-0 in the FA Cup last Sunday, was soon presented with another chance to score, but this time the midfielder blazed over from Katie McCabe’s teasing cross.

Slowly acclimatising to the blustery, wet conditions inside a bouncing Meadow Park, United thought they should have had a penalty following a coming together between Terland and McCabe inside the box, but referee Stacey Fullicks waved away the visitors’ protests - to the dismay of the opposition dugout.

However, United continued to make inroads and they eventually took the lead in added time at the end of the first half when Ellen Wangerheim - making her full debut for Marc Skinner's side - latched onto a poor pass from Arsenal goalkeeper Anneke Borbe, before teeing up Terland to stab home from close range.

Looking to find an immediate response in the early stages of the second half, Arsenal came close to drawing level when winger Smith - who was electric down the right-hand side - picked out Maanum with a low cross, but the 26-year-old was leaning back as she fired over the crossbar.

But with Arsenal in the ascendency, Smith soon undone all of her good work as the Canada international was sent off for a second bookable offence after wiping out Julia Zigiotti Olme after the ball had gone. The forward received her first caution for a foul on Anna Sandberg in the first half.

Despite having one player less on the pitch, Arsenal continued to enjoy the lion's share of possession and they almost found a leveller when Mariona Caldentey engineered half a yard of space inside the box, only for the Spain international to see her shot well-saved by Tullis-Joyce.

With United looking to batten down the hatches, Skinner’s charges had a rare opportunity to double their lead on the counter when Wangerheim fed substitute Melvine Malard, but the forward’s left-footed effort flew high and wide from close range.

As seven-time winners Arsenal pushed to keep their hopes of reaching an 11th League Cup final alive, it was their turn to ask for a penalty late on as McCabe’s powerful effort appeared to strike the arm of Dominique Janssen, only for their appeals to be waved away as a resolute United held on for a famous win in Hertfordshire.

Following their historic victory, United - who had previously come up short in three League Cup semi-finals - will face Chelsea in the showpiece on Sunday, 15 March at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate, after the holders secured a 1-0 victory at the Joie Stadium on the same night.

Despite having just two touches in Arsenal’s box, Terland was calmness personified as she coolly slotted the ball past Borbe to send United through their maiden League Cup final. In addition to her goal, the 24-year-old scrapped hard in the second half, doing everything she could to drag her side up the pitch.

In what was always going to be a tight affair, Arsenal shot-stopper Borbe made a costly error in the opening 45 minutes. With the hosts under pressure from United, the German tried to slow things down and allow her side to catch a breather. However, the 25-year-old held onto possession for too long before gifting it straight to Wangerheim, who fed Terland for the visitors’ all-important winner.