On the back of four consecutive defeats, MCWFC host the Merseyside outfit the day after the men’s first-team face the Toffees’ male counterparts.
Following Thursday night’s disappointing result away at Doncaster, Nick Cushing’s side have little time to dwell and Sunday’s encounter is the perfect chance for the Blues to bounce back and register three points on the board in Group Two.
The clash also presents a defining moment in MCFC history as it will be the first time a City women’s team will have graced the Etihad Stadium pitch.
Midfielder Jill Scott is amongst a total of seven players who will be facing their old club on the day. Having played for the Toffees since 2006, the England international admits to feeling just a little apprehensive about competing against her former colleagues but revealed that on a matchday, friendships are left on the touchline.
“It will be a bit weird,” she conceded. “I had a good seven years at Everton and I know a lot of the players very well.
“I still keep in touch with some of them. Fern Whelan is my best friend and we’re in contact every day – but we won’t be talking about the game! It’s not like that. We don’t only talk about football – we are good friends outside of the game.
“In the past, whenever anyone has asked me what it’s like to play against people you know, I always say: when it comes to kick-off, you don’t know who you’re playing against.
“For me, it’s just another 90 minutes. I’m sure when it comes down to it, we’ll just leave everything off the pitch and after the game is done and dusted, we’ll all still be friends.
“Plus, there have been a lot of changes at Everton since I played for them last year. They have a lot of up-and-coming players so I think they will pose us a problem. It’s about us being at the top of our game and trying to get three points.”
When asked if she would celebrate if she found the net on Sunday, Scott laughed: “I hate it when people do that thing when they score against their old club and make a point of not celebrating because it draws more attention to it!
“To be honest, I’m not thinking about scoring going into the game – I just want to win the match. It’s always nice to get a goal but as long as we win, I’ll be happy.”
Kick-off is at 12pm on Sunday 4 May, with tickets priced at £6 for adults and £4 for under-16s. Discounted tickets for concessions are also available, with admission for 16-21 year-olds, over 65s and disabled supporters priced at £5.
Prior to kick-off, there’ll be plenty of pre-match entertainment on at BT City Square, including live music and interviews with special guests. Plus, at half-time, fans will have the chance to win a pair of Toni Duggan’s signed boots with consolation prizes of signed footballs also up for grabs.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the stadium box office. If you can’t make it though, we’ll have live updates on Twitter, plus a full match report and post-match reaction on the website after full-time.
