Manchester City will meet Birmingham City for the second time this season, as the two sides travel to Academy Stadium in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday.
The duo last met on 29 March in Birmingham, and a 0-0 draw was overshadowed by a scuffle between City’s goalkeeper Karen Bardsley and Birmingham striker Freda Ayisi. As a result, both players will miss the cup tie after being handed three-match bans.
The hosts will be without captain Steph Houghton who remains on the sidelines with a knee injury and Keira Walsh is also unavailable due to an ankle problem. However, Birmingham forward Karen Carney could make her first appearance of the campaign after spending the opening few weeks on the treatment table.
Manchester City cruised into the last-eight of the competition during their first game of the season, inflicting a 3-1 defeat on Doncaster Rovers Belles of the WSL2. Despite their impressive first performance, they have now scored just one goal in their first two league fixtures, obtaining a 1-0 win over Sunderland following their earlier stalemate with Birmingham.
The Blues have also found a similar fate after knocking three goals past reigning WSL1 champions Liverpool in their FA Cup commencer. But following the draw with Manchester City, the Reds soon gained revenge over Birmingham with a 2-1 victory in the league on 1 April.
Manchester manager Nick Cushing spoke out about his determination to achieve success in the cup, saying: “Winning the Continental Cup last season has given us a real infectious, addictive feeling that we want more of.
“We know it’s not easy but last year provided us with that experience of having to work unbelievably hard to gain a trophy.”
Five places currently separate the two teams in the league, but both sides will be eager for the win, with a potential trip to Wembley at stake.
