Birmingham City head into Sunday’s Subway Women’s League Cup tie on the back of returning to winning ways in the Women’s Super League 2.
The former WSL side, runners-up in 2011 and 2012, are currently sat second in the WSL 2 after six games and are just one-point behind league leaders Charlton Athletic, as they eye a return to England’s top flight – having narrowly missed out on promotion last term to London City Lionesses on the final day of the season.
After suffering a narrow defeat to Southampton earlier this month, the midlands-based outfit returned to winning ways in the WSL 2 with an emphatic 4-0 win at Ipswich Town last weekend. Chelsea Cornet fired them ahead in the first half before Océane Hurtré, Batcheba Louis and Martha Harris were on target in the second period to secure a comfortable win at JobServe Community Stadium.
Amy Merricks’ side are unbeaten on the road since December, 2024 – a defeat against Leicester City in the Women’s League Cup group phase. Alongside their victory over Ipswich Town, they have also enjoyed a victory away from home at Sheffield United (2-1 win) while being held to a 1-1 draw at Sunderland.
Watch | Our last meeting with the Blues in WSL
The Blues began this cup competition with a 2-2 draw with Bristol City before winning the subsequent penalty shootout 4-3 at St Andrew’s, putting us on level points in the group ahead of this weekend’s clash.
Youngster Riya Rani Mannu and Lucy Quinn, a former Spur between 2019 to 2021, fired them into a 2-0 goal lead at St Andrew’s, but the visitors’ Lexi Lloyd-Smith and Olivia Johnson pulled the Robins back to earn a point and force a penalty shootout.
Having joined the club in the summer from Durham, where she progressed through the ranks at the Wildcats into their first team, forward Lily Crosthwaite is the Blues’ leading goalscorer this campaign with three goals and two assists in six games in the WSL 2.
Sunday’s encounter at Brisbane Road will be our first-ever meeting in this competition, but we have enjoyed plenty of success over the Blues in the WSL.
Head-to-Head
Our record against Birmingham City:
Games played: 4
Spurs wins: 3
Draws: 1
Birmingham wins: 0
Spurs goals: 8
Birmingham goals: 1
In the dugout
Amy Merricks
Appointed as Head Coach of Birmingham in April, 2024, she led the Blues to second in the WSL 2 last term, narrowly missing out on promotion to England’s top flight. Prior to her move to the midlands, she spent time at Brighton as interim manager, becoming the WSL’s youngest serving boss, before taking the helm of England Women’s Under-19 Head Coach.
A foot in both camps
Cho So-Hyun
The South Korea international initially joined us on loan in January, 2021, before making her move permanent in July, 2021. She went on to make 33 appearances across two seasons, scoring one goal, before joining the Blues in September, 2023. The midfielder featured 29 times for her current club, netting three goals.