Birmingham City Birmingham City

Man City Manchester City

WHEN AND WHERE

The game takes place at St Andrew’s on Sunday 12 December with kick-off scheduled for 14:00 (UK).

The match will be shown live on the FA Player, while fans in Australia can also tune in via Optus Sport.

We’ll also have coverage of the game with live text commentary in our Matchday Centre on mancity.com and our official app, or via Twitter @ManCityWomen. Following the full-time whistle, a comprehensive match report and post-match reaction from Gareth Taylor will be available to view on mancity.com and our official app.

Highlights and a full-match replay will also be available to view with a CITY+ subscription from Monday at noon.

Tickets

Tickets can be purchased via Birmingham City’s official website, priced at:

• Adults: £7 online in advance / £10 on the gate
• Concessions (Under-16 or Over-65): £4 online in advance / £7 on the gate
• Family: £18 online in advance / £20 on the gate

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TEAM NEWS

Gareth Taylor made four changes from the side that beat Aston Villa 5-0 in our previous outing, with Demi Stokes, Jill Scott, Keira Walsh and Jess Park making way for Alanna Kennedy, Ruby Mace, Laura Coombs, Hayley Raso.

Karima Taieb starts between the sticks, shielded by a back four of Georgia Stanway, Alex Greenwood, Alanna Kennedy and Ruby Mace, who makes her first WSL start for the Club.

Laura Coombs sits in front of the defence, with Caroline Weir and Filippa Angeldahl completing the midfield three.

At the sharp end, Lauren Hemp and Hayley Raso start on the flank, with Ellen White leading the line as captain against her former club.

Khiara Keating returned to the bench, following a fractured elbow, while Demi Stokes (illness) and Jill Scott (ankle) missed the game, while Steph Houghton (Achilles), Karen Bardsley (hamstring), Ellie Roebuck (calf), Esme Morgan (leg fracture) and Chloe Kelly (ACL) remain long-term absentees.

Gareth Taylor preview

“We need to be prepared for everything - it’s really difficult to know what way they’ll set up.

“Darren [Carter] was a respected player, I remember coming up against him and he was a classy player.

“I would imagine he’ll want to play a possession-based game but he’ll look at the make up of the team he has and see what he can implement.

“We need to focus on the ‘what ifs’: ‘What if they press like this, what if they build up in this way?’ and make sure we’re ready for every eventuality but I think usually when you have a new manager, you do get that bounce a bit from the players. We need to make sure it’s something we’re aware of.

“We want to be successful and go into the Christmas break on a high. We’ve got good games, good situations and good opportunities within it but aren’t looking too far ahead.

“They’re in quick succession but we’ve just got to focus on Sunday’s game, execute the game plan that we want to work to and then we move onto the next one.”

LAST TIME OUT

City returned to winning ways in the FA Women’s Super League with a thumping 5-0 victory over Aston Villa.

A superb second half display claimed a crucial win for Gareth Taylor‘s side at the Academy Stadium, courtesy of Hayley Raso‘s first goals for the Club, plus Caroline Weir, Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp strikes.

The triumph ensured we leapfrogged Villa in the table, whilst extending our impressive 100% record over the visitors, and restored some much-needed confidence after what had been a difficult week, sending the team off onto international duty on a positive note.

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WATCH: Match highlights: City 5-0 Aston Villa

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTER

City brought up a century of goals under Gareth Taylor‘s management after defeating Birmingham City 4-0 at the Academy Stadium.

A first half brace from Chloe Kelly, a first City goal for Esme Morgan and a late strike from Sam Mewis secured the three points, in a dominant display from Taylor’s team.

WATCH: City 4-0 Birmingham: Highlights

How it stands

City sit seventh in the FA WSL table, looking to climb the table and close the gap on the top three. Brighton and Hove Albion currently occupy third spot - five points above Gareth Taylor‘s side.

Birmingham lie second-bottom with a solitary point from their opening six games.

FORM GUIDE

City head into the game on the back of a mixed run of results, having won three and lost two of our last five games in all competitions.

Birmingham have lost all bar one of their last five games - a 1-1 draw with West Ham in October.

We have won 16 of our 22 meetings with the Solihull outfit in all competitions, including our last seven in a row.

Stats

• City have lost just one of our last 13 meetings with Birmingham (W9 D3) and have won our last six FA WSL matches against them, keeping a clean sheet in each of our last five.
• We have only had two longer winning runs against an opponent: seven against Sunderland between 2015 and 2018 and 11 against Everton between 2014 and 2021.
• We have won nine games against Birmingham in the WSL and seven of our last eight. Only against Everton (11) have we won more matches in the competition.
• Gareth Taylor‘s side have had more shots on target than anyone else in the FA WSL this season (59) while only Aston Villa (14) have had fewer than Birmingham (16).
• Birmingham’s six-game losing run against City is their worst ever run against a side.
• The Solihull outfit are the only FA WSL side yet to lead in a match this season, while also trailing for the most minutes of any side (444), falling behind in the fourth minute of their 5-0 defeat to Chelsea, in which they managed just two shots - only Aston Villa against City (one) having fewer in an FA WSL match this season.
• Ellen White has been involved in three goals in her last three FA WSL appearances against Birmingham (one goal, two assists).
• Hayley Raso has scored seven goals in the FA WSL, and every time she has scored in a game it has been more than once: two braces against Aston Villa (for Everton and City last time out) and a hat-trick against Brighton.