Match Pack: Birmingham City

Aston Villa Women continue their league campaign on Sunday as they get set to face Birmingham City in the Second City derby.

Carla Ward's side enter the first of two big derbies off the back of a narrow defeat to current back-to-back champions Chelsea last weekend.

Villa put in a resolute display against Emma Hayes' Blues outfit and were only undone by a Jessie Fleming strike in the first half.

Sarah Mayling and Maz Pacheco created a couple of late opportunities for Villa to potentially grab a point, but the visitors held firm to continue their hunt for three straight WSL titles.

Despite the improved display following a 3-0 defeat against Reading before the October international break, the importance of securing points will not be lost on Ward and co.

Sunday sees an opportunity to open up a 10-point gap between ourselves and 12th-placed Leicester City, a gap which would go a long way to seeing us secure WSL status so early on in the season.

Tickets for Sunday's derby are now off sale. If you can't make the game, you can watch the action live on the FA Player or follow live updates across our social channels at @AVWFCOfficial.

Watch on the FA Player

Sunday's hosts need no introduction.

Birmingham City stand in the way of three points for Carla Ward's side this weekend and will undoubtedly be right up for the first of this season's two derbies.

Scott Booth has recently been appointed as Birmingham's manager, coming in from 15-time SWPL winners Glasgow City.

However it has been a reverse in fortunes thus far for the 49-year-old.

Blues currently sit just one place above the WSL relegation zone and have found the net twice in eight games across all competitions since the opening weekend of September.

Sunday's clash sparks a run of three daunting league fixtures, with Chelsea and Manchester City to come after the derby.

December 19th's match-up with Leicester City looks to be a crucial one for our cross-city rivals.

If last season's encounters are anything to go by, however, Sunday's match is due to be a cagey affair.

Birmingham came to Villa Park this time last year and eaked out a 1-0 victory courtesy of Claudia Walker, while the reverse fixture saw a stoppage-time equalliser secure a point for the Blues after Freya Gregory had opened her account in claret & blue.

The Last Meeting

Aston Villa Women conceded in stoppage time for the second consecutive game the last time these two sides met as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sunday's hosts.

Freya Gregory scored her first professional goal inside 30 minutes as Villa looked on their way to learning from previous mistakes against Bristol City.

However, Veatriki Sarri's 96th-minute free-kick floated all the way in to break the hearts of those in claret & blue.

Despite the disappointment, Villa would be unbeaten in three games and would go on to secure two more draws on their way to securing WSL survival.

The Boss

Carla Ward spoke to VillaTV to look ahead to this weekend's derby...