Birmingham City head coach Amy Merricks says her side will go "toe-to-toe" with Women's Super League champions Manchester City on their return to the top flight.
Birmingham clinched the WSL 2 title on the final day of last season to secure promotion and end a four-year stint in the second tier, but have been given a tough assignment on the opening day of the 2026-27 campaign.
Merricks' side will travel to the Joie Stadium in Manchester on Sunday (14:30 BST), where a 6-0 defeat in the same fixture in May 2022 condemned them to relegation.
Man City won all 11 of their home WSL matches last season, but Merricks is relishing the challenge awaiting her team.
"I think it's a great time to play Man City. We know it's going to be a challenge but we are well and truly up for it. We are here to compete, not just make up the numbers," Merricks said in her pre-match media conference.
"Our focus is on ourselves, we appreciate and respect who they are and what they have, but our mindset doesn't change."
Last season Birmingham scored an average of 2.09 per game and earned a reputation as an attacking team, something Merricks is not willing to sacrifice just because they will face tougher opposition this term.
"There is a core part of our identity that is non-negotiable for us as Blues and myself as a head coach," she added.
"We are a progressive team, we will find ways to create and score. We are really clear on what our strengths are and what we need to maximise.
"This is the best league in the world, it is going to be tough and a challenge, but what we can't do is lose our strengths. We have to amplify those and put ourselves in the best position possible.
"We have to focus on what we can control and that's how we can compete. We don't fear anyone. I think we showed that in the cup competitions last year."
City boss Andree Jeglertz knows that only too well - Sunday's match comes five months to the day since his side were made to work for a 1-0 victory away at Birmingham in the quarter-finals of the Women's FA Cup.
"We had a tough game against them last year. They were tactically very good and destroyed all the space on the field, defending low and their transitioning was very good. There are threats in their team we need to give attention to," Jeglertz said.
"Playing against a team that is new in the league is always a challenge because I know they are coming in with a lot of energy in the first game."
City are beginning their first league title defence in a decade, but Jeglertz does not want his side's mentality to change just because they have something to lose.
"We are still chasing, chasing to win again. If you start protecting things, I don't think that will help us. We need to be in a mood of hunger, trying to win again, to compete in different tournaments.
"If we drop a little bit in performance or attitude, teams will go past us."
Jeglertz confirmed that City will be without forward Vivianne Miedema until at least late autumn because of a knee injury, while defender Rebecca Knaak will miss the visit of Birmingham with a foot issue.
Defender Jade Rose and midfielder Grace Clinton have returned to training, but summer signing Niamh Charles is "a big question mark" for Sunday.
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