Birmingham City were listed as the home team for this fixture, but there was little familiarity for manager Carla Ward and her side as they walked out at St George’s Park on Sunday.
Forced to pay £500 to play 34 miles away from Damson Park, the ground they share with National League side Solihull Moors, they felt more like the away club than opponents Manchester City. Seven of Gareth Taylor’s starting line-up had starred for England against Northern Ireland on Tuesday, with another sitting on the bench.
The FA took the decision to switch the game to their National Football Centre to ensure it went ahead, with the Blues having suffered four postponements because of a frozen and waterlogged pitch.