Rangers-celtic Derby Crucial As Duo Chase Leaders Glasgow City

Rangers against Celtic kicks disconnected a play of 3 derbies successful nan Scottish Women's Premier League arsenic nan Glasgow rivals meet nether nan lights astatine Ibrox connected Friday.

Always intriguing games, they tin besides beryllium important successful position of nan title race, but location is simply a threat that mightiness not beryllium nan lawsuit this season.

Both person been disconnected nan gait truthful acold this term, pinch Celtic sitting successful third, six points down leaders Glasgow City and 1 disconnected reigning champions Hibernian, pinch Rangers 3 points further adrift successful fifth.

Rangers way contempt winning their erstwhile gathering pinch Celtic this season, 2-0 distant from location successful early September.

As their 2nd gathering looms, we inquire what is nan authorities of play for some sides up of this Old Firm derby?

Rangers caput coach Leanne Crichton admits nan early days of her tenure person been "a whirlwind" and "challenging".

The erstwhile City and Scotland midfielder arrived successful station conscionable 2 weeks earlier nan caller play and, having mislaid immoderate cardinal players successful nan summertime window, besides had to contend pinch a depleted squad done injury.

That has played a portion successful nan broadside dropping points this season.

In October, Rangers mislaid to Hibs aft surrendering a 2-0 lead, while earlier this period a slow commencement against Heart of Midlothian resulted a 3-2 defeat.

Ibrox has besides not been nan wall they desire.

In their first crippled of nan play there, Hearts scored a precocious equaliser to stock nan spoils, while City near pinch each 3 points successful September.

It is simply a acquainted communicative from past season, erstwhile Hibs stole nan title from Rangers' grasp successful their final-day winner-take-all shootout.

While Crichton says her players "love it and thrive connected it" and she takes immoderate positives from their performances astatine their Govan home, she concedes "the results person not been what we wanted".

However, she views Celtic's first sojourn of nan play arsenic "a superb opportunity", believes "any Friday nighttime crippled ever feels better" and hopes her players will "maximise playing astatine Ibrox" this time.

With City favourites to return each 3 points erstwhile they sojourn sixth-placed Montrose connected Sunday, Rangers cannot spend to autumn further behind.

Although Celtic person besides travel 2nd champion to immoderate of their main rivals this season, immoderate observers consciousness they person had a amended commencement than expected.

Last play grounded to unrecorded up to expectations arsenic they looked to clasp nan title aft their historical first triumph successful nan erstwhile campaign.

The demands of Champions League shot and reports of unrest wrong nan campy were not conducive to a successful season.

The nonaccomplishment of cardinal centre-half Caitlin Hayes astatine nan commencement of this year, followed by immoderate important departures successful nan adjacent season, led to a consciousness that each was not well.

An distant triumph complete Hearts, a squad that caused them immoderate problems nan erstwhile season, provided a coagulated start.

Head coach Elena Sadiku said it was important to "build upon that win", but erstwhile it came to facing nan sides you would expect to beryllium their challengers this season, they dropped points.

A tie pinch Hibs was followed by a defeats by Rangers and City - each astatine home.

The nonaccomplishment to City was a sore 1 and prompted nan Swede to speak out, arsenic she seemed to criticise Celtic's level of finance into nan women's side.

"I consciousness correct now that we are successful a business wherever teams are investing powerfully and you tin spot really tight it is each season," Sadiku said. "Teams are getting amended and amended and we request to push successful nan aforesaid guidance arsenic well."

A Celtic squad leader hitting retired astatine nan nonaccomplishment to fortify their squad - a reflector image of nan now departed Brendan Rodgers' complaints astir nan men's team.

Given immoderate of their caller results and nan existent convention standings, Sadiku possibly had a constituent fixed Celtic are down some City and Hibs while level connected points pinch Hearts.

However, six points disconnected nan leaders is hardly insurmountable and a triumph complete their Glasgow rivals connected Friday could spell immoderate to getting them backmost connected track.

"There's bigger unit connected Rangers arsenic they're down us," Sadiku said. "It's been a while since we hit them, but belief is going to beryllium much important than strategies and we person beardown belief astatine nan moment."

Rangers' grounds astatine Ibrox mightiness besides springiness Sadiku and her players immoderate assurance for a travel they will repetition successful February erstwhile Celtic sojourn nan holders successful nan SWPL Cup semi-finals.

As Sadiku added: "The SWPL is tighter than ever, but that's nan astir breathtaking point astir this convention - playing against Rangers. It is much than conscionable a game."