Rangers head coach Leanne Crichton says last weekend’s league victory over Glasgow City should settle the squad’s nerves as they prepare for Sunday’s Sky Sports Cup final (kick-off 3:00pm). Katie Wilkinson’s stoppage-time penalty handed Rangers their opponents’ first domestic loss of the season and cut the league gap to five points with seven matches remaining — a result Crichton hopes will bring momentum into the cup decider.
“We knew we had to win the game,” Crichton said, noting the importance of the three points in keeping Rangers in the title race and allowing the team to focus on the cup. She urged her players to enjoy the week, prepare properly and not feel overly stressed, adding that beating a side that has looked almost invincible this season helps calm nerves and reinforces what the squad can achieve.
Crichton admitted Rangers have been inconsistent at times this season, often costing themselves through conceded goals and dropped points. The win over City, she believes, strengthens belief in the squad and the identity she is building.
Both Rangers and Glasgow City remain in contention for domestic trebles, and Rangers are chasing a fourth successive Sky Sports Cup. Crichton, who took charge at Ibrox in the summer, accepts the pressure that comes with managing Rangers and welcomes it — she says securing the first piece of silverware would provide a valuable confidence boost.
She also emphasised the importance of learning from defeat: to be a winner you must understand loss, and Rangers have had those lessons this season. Crichton described last Sunday’s match as the biggest test of the league campaign; a defeat there, she said, would have been significant for the title race.
The Sky Sports Cup final on Sunday will be another key moment as both clubs continue to contest multiple competitions in the closing stages of the season.