Birmingham City v Arsenal: Women's Super League – live!

78 min A brilliant counter-attack from Arsenal, sparked by a majestic interception and pass from Williamson, ends with McCabe’s disguised shot being well held by Hampton.

76 min It’s very dangerous to predict results in a title race, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do. If other results turn out as expected, a defeat is effectively as good as a draw for Arsenal, so they can afford to take risks in the last 15 minutes. A win here would leave them tantalisingly close to their first title since 2012.

73 min “Lots of good performances all round,” says Charles Antaki. “Veje looks a terrific player. Credit to the crowd though for managing to find evidence from somewhere to assert that it’s the same old Arsenal, always cheating, as yet another Birmingham player crunches into her opponent.”

71 min Staniforth’s curling free-kick is headed this far wide by Arthur at the far post. That was a great chance, eight yards from goal, but she just couldn’t get enough on the ball to steer it inside the post.

70 min White scarpers down the right and is fouled by Veje, who is booked. White is starting to look very threatening.

69 min This is undoubtedly Birmingham’s best spell of the match. Ladd nods the ball over Quinn for White, whose shot is crucially blocked by Williamson. The ball took an age to come down so that White could hit the shot.

66 min For the first time in the match, Arsenal look a bit frantic and desperate in possession as they search for the goal they desperately want. They will be still favourites for the title whatever happens today, but a draw or defeat would leave them so much more vulnerable.

64 min The game is very open now, and Arsenal are at risk of being stung on the counter-attack.

63 min Fine play from Birmingham. Staniforth plays in Wellings, whose fierce low cross is headed wide by the diving Scott. She took a boot in the head for her efforts.

62 min White dribbles between Quinn and Williamson on the edge of the area before falling over under pressure from Williamson. The referee gives nothing; White is furious.

60 min A good effort from Mead, who pings a low shot from 20 yards that is well saved by Hampton, plunging to her right.

59 min Miedema tries to dribble past Scott, who again defends superbly. She’s had a fine game.

58 min Staniforth’s flailing arm catches the face of Veje, who falls over. I don’t think the referee saw it.

57 min Arsenal really need a goal. If they win this, they should clinch the title before that meeting with Manchester City on the final day of the season. If they don’t, we’re probably heading for a title decider.

55 min A fine effort from Haley Ladd, who controls Arthur’s pass on the run and thrashes just over the bar from 20 yards.

52 min Mead’s brilliant cross pinballs around the six-yard box before Mannion shovels it behind for a corner.

50 min A slow start to the second half, with nowt to report.

47 min It looks like McCabe and Mead have swapped wings for Arsenal, with McCabe now on the left.

“COYG!” says Bill Hargreaves. “They ought to put more of these on the eejit box.”

It’s on the BBC red button, if you have access thereto.

Peep peep! Arsenal should be ahead, but a combination of poor finishing, bad luck and good goalkeeeping from Hannah Hampton has denied them. They need a goal in the second half if they are to keep their safety net in the title race. See you in 15 minutes!

44 min I have precisely 0.00 per cent idea how this is still goalless.

43 min Miedema makes space for a fierce left-footed shot that is well held by Hampton at the near post.

41 min: Yet another chance for Arsenal! Mead curled a pass behind the defence for Miedema, who went round Hampton but in doing so made the angle too tight for a shot. Instead she turned and played a precise pass back to Van de Donk, who curled over the bar from the edge of the area.

38 min The corner is played short to McCabe, who overhits her cross – and almost scores! Hampton had to backpedal smartly and leap top tip it over the bar.

38 min Another good save from Hampton. Van de Donk moved across the line of the area, onto her left foot, before clipping a low shot that was turned round by the diving Hampton.

37 min Little turns smartly in the area and hits a shot that is deflected into the side netting. Mead’s corner is headed away.

34 min: A chance for Birmingham! Staniforth plays a short pass down the inside-right channel to White, who hits a rising shot across goal that is palmed behind by the diving Peyraud-Magnin.

32 min There’s an excellent battle going on between the two No23s, Beth Mead and Harriet Scott. So far, Scott is ahead on points.

29 min: Another chance for Arsenal! Van de Donk slips the ball through to Miedema, who tries to go round Hampton but gets the ball stuck under her feet and decides to shoot instead. Hampton makes a fine block.

27 min The corner leads to an absurd scramble in which Mannion hits her own crossbar! Mead played the corner short to Little, who floated it towards Van der Donk at the far post. She headed it back into the six-yard box towards Bloodworth, whose attempt to run the ball into the net was blocked. The ball rebounded to Mannion, who tried to clear it off the line and shanked the ball onto the underside of the bar. Eventually it was cleared by White and Birmingham survived.

26 min Miedema tries to run Sargeant on the left of the box and wins a corner.

24 min Staniforth’s flighted corner is headed away excellently under pressure by Quinn.

23 min Scott wins another cortner for Birmingham, who are slowly coming into the game.

22 min Van de Donk has gone down off the ball. She’s feeling her throat but seems to be okay.

18 min Birmingham are struggling to deal with the intensity of Arsenal’s pressing, and have lost possession a few times in dangerous areas.

16 min Saying which, Birmingham win their first corner after an excellent passing move. Staniforth’s lofted corner is half cleared by Quinn to Follis, who turns smartly away from Little but shoots high over the bar from 12 yards.

14 min Birmingham are struggling to get out of their half. They look really rusty.

12 min Lovely feet from McCabe, who zig-zags past two players before being fouled 25 yards from goal. Bloodworth’s free-kick smacks Scott in the face, but Birmingham can’t clear the ball and moments later Hampton makes a fine save from Miedema! It came from a good right-wing cross to the near post, which Miedema headed powerfully towards goal. Hampton reacted smartly to touch it onto the bar and behind for a corner.

8 min Nothing much to report so far, apart from that bulldozing tackle from Mannion. Arsenal are still on top, though they haven’t troubled Hannah Hampton.

4 min Birmingham have started sluggishly, which is no real surprise given they haven’t played since 20 February. Arsenal look composed and confident.

2 min Mannion overruns the ball and ploughs through McCabe. That’s an abysmal challenge. She is booked, but it might have been a red card.

1 min Peep peep! Birmingham kick off on a blustery afternoon in Solihull. They are in blue; Arsenal are in red.

A win for Arsenal would ensure Champions League football next season, but their sights are a lot higher than that.

“Automated Technology Group?” muses Charles Antaki. “That must surely mean Kraftwerk. An excellent commemorative name for a stadium. And think of the intro music!”

Birmingham City (4-2-3-1) Hampton; Scott, Sargeant, Mannion, Harrop; Ladd, Arthur; Follis, Staniforth, Wellings; White.
Substitutes: Brooks, WIlliams, Walker, Ewers, Scofield, Quinn, Mayling.

Arsenal (4-3-3) Peyraud-Magnin; Evans, Williamson, Quinn, Veje; Bloodworth, Van de Donk, Little; McCabe, Miedema, Mead.
Substitutes: Van Veenendaal, Arnth, Schnaderbeck, Kemme, Carter.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of Birmingham City v Arsenal from the Automated Technology Group Stadium. A win today would put Arsenal on the brink of th- Hang on, the Automated Technology Stadium! On the great Stadium Name Scale of 0 to evocative, that’s been disqualified from going within 10 miles of a Stadium Name Scale ever again.

Erm, where were we? Yes, Arsenal’s swashbuckling side need nine points from their last four games to win their first title since 2012. They are a point clear of Manchester City with a game in hand. The plot is thickened, however, by the fact their last game is against City, so only a win today will keep their destiny out of City’s hands.

That won’t be easy against Birmingham, who are tricky opponents. Arsenal were hammered here last season, and both their wins at home to Birmingham this season – one in the league, one in the League Cup – were hard fought. They needed two goals in the last seven minutes to beat Birmingham 2-1 in the League Cup.

Arsenal are at least in blistering form going into what feels like a pivotal match. If they win today, they should wrap the title up before they play City. If they don’t, we are probably looking at a title decider at Meadow Park on 11 May.

Kick off is at 12.30pm.