Spartans have “nothing to lose” in Glasgow City tie

Spartans travel to SWPL champions Glasgow City on Sunday with manager Debbi McCulloch insisting her team will not sit back at Petershill.

The Edinburgh side face arguably their toughest test of the season on the weekend as they take on an unbeaten Glasgow City side. Last season’s champions are unbeaten against their opponents in their last 23 meetings with Spartans last coming after with a victory in 2015. The visitors are currently on a three-game unbeaten run in the league, but a mixed start to the campaign sees them sitting ninth in the SWPL1. However, despite the odds stacked against them, McCulloch is not prepared to play a ‘damage limitation’ game.

“It feels like Petershill is becoming our home ground with the number of games we have played there recently,” she told the Edinburgh Evening News. “It will be a tough task as we come up against last year's champions at their home ground. However, we will have a strong game plan in place, we will try and execute that game plan and we will see where that takes us.

“In these games, you have nothing to lose. In terms of our culture and DNA, we want to have a right good go at these teams and try to compete as best as we possibly can. Sometimes that can leave you a bit vulnerable but we never turn up just to lose a game, we always want to get something and that focus doesn’t change regardless of who you are playing.”

Spartans have picked up seven points in their last three games. Credit: (© ScottishPower Women’s Premier League | Malcolm Mackenzie)

Spartans may take some confidence into the fixture due to its timing. Glasgow City faced Celtic on Thursday night and on Wednesday they will return to Champions League action as they host Brann. With the Spartans fixture sandwiched in between two season-defining games, there could be a possibility of rotation or fatigue coming into play. However, McCulloch insists that the fixture will still be just as tough and that her squad cannot underestimate Glasgow City on Sunday.

“I have to have some respect for Glasgow City, I don’t think there is ever really a good time to play them,” she added. “Their squad is all full-time so they have plenty of time to recover, rest and do everything right unlike my players who are either studying or working full-time. I have no doubts that Thursday’s game against Celtic and next week's Champions League game will be a greater priority than our fixture on Sunday. However, they’re a professional team and won’t underestimate anyone, they want to win a football game. They won’t want to drop any points against us, they have a large squad so I will expect some level of rotation.

“However, in the past where you might think they have started a weaker squad for those rotation purposes and you may get into half-time at 0-0, they bring on all their best players with 20 minutes to go and you are knackered. There are a lot of things to consider but my message to the players is let's focus on us and not worry about Glasgow City and what they’re up to.”