What to watch for on potentially pivotal night in SWPL
Watch: Celtic v Glasgow City (18:10 BST) & Rangers v Hearts (20:10), both on BBC Alba, Wednesday, 1 May
- Published
It's first versus third. Second versus fourth. A potentially pivotal midweek night awaits in the Scottish Women's Premier League.
Leaders Celtic welcome reigning champions Glasgow City to the Excelsior Stadium, with Leanne Ross' visitors knowing that if they want to maintain their grip on the trophy, nothing other than a win will suffice as they trail Elena Sadiku's pacesetters by six points.
Fresh off the back of Scottish Cup semi-final success, finalists Rangers and Heart of Midlothian have a dress rehearsal of the Hampden showpiece under the Broadwood lights.
BBC Sport Scotland picks out a few things to look out for as things continue to heat up at the top end of the table.
Last chance saloon for City?
Five games left, six points behind. Time is running out for City if they want to secure a 17th league title.
In roaring back to triumph last season, City picked up crucial points against the Old Firm. This season, that hasn't quite been the case.
With just one win in six games against the pair combined, Ross' side have failed to find the formula against their title rivals this term.
Just a month ago, Celtic dominated despite the narrow 2-1 scoreline at Petershill Park.
Colette Cavanagh pulled the strings from midfield while the frankly frightening frontline of Amy Gallacher, Kit Loferski and Tash Flint tormented the City defence.
There lies perhaps the biggest difference between City and both Rangers and Celtic. The pair have firepower in abundance.
Gallacher has 22 goals and 18 assists alone. Rangers' Rio Hardy has 21 and nine.
Last season's top goalscorer, Lauren Davidson, tops City's goals chart with 14 and just five assists. The numbers doing the heavy lifting.
But what City do have in abundance, particularly compared to Celtic, is experience. Ross herself knows how to win leagues like the back of her hand. Celtic are still searching for their first.
It'd take a brave soul to rule City out of any title hunt but if there isn't a win on Wednesday, a few heads may pop above the parapet to suggest their race is run.
History, Hampden, Hearts double?
Katie Lockwood scored against Rangers
What a time to be at Hearts.
A first win over one of 'the big three' - incidentally the one they face again this week - a matter of weeks ago and a successful first trip to Hampden at the weekend, when they booked their spot in a maiden cup final.
The progress made under Eva Olid is outstanding. In her third season, she's on the cusp of securing back-to-back fourth-place finishes and has a shot at cup glory. Crucially, against a side she knows she can beat.
It was a hard-fought league win at the Oriam, but Hearts managed to spook Rangers. Once Katie Lockwood fired them ahead, Jo Potter's side started to panic.
Since the former England international switched to a back three, her team at times have appeared susceptible to being attacked on the counter.
When they do rarely concede, though, they usually come away unscathed with the luxury of relying on one of their four star strikers.
That's why this is one of the most fascinating match-ups in the calendar. Lockwood grabbed the headlines but it was the defensive showing that truly shone.
Rangers will be high on reaping revenge against their city rivals at the weekend and keen to enjoy more in overturning that historic result Hearts savoured last month.