“As a football player, see if you get a bit of a hostile reception, I think it’s the best thing.”
It’s a good thing Erin Cuthbert revels in that kind of environment, as it could well be the once she faces tomorrow at Celtic Park.
The Chelsea midfielder is from a family of Rangers fans and on her return to Glasgow with the WSL champions, she’s aware a warm welcome is unlikely, but that doesn’t faze her.
“We’ve played at the Emirates many times,” the Scotland international said, “we’re used to playing in big games where there is an atmosphere and the opposition wants to make it as difficult as possible.
“We enjoy it and we thrive on it. It’s just about putting my best foot forward tomorrow night.”
Cuthbert is used to doing that in Glasgow, having played for Rangers and Glasgow City before heading south of the border.
She left her homeland as a self-confessed “really young and naive 18-year-old girl who was working in Morrison’s” but returns as “a leader” of one of the world’s biggest clubs, according to head coach Sonia Bompastor.
“This was beyond my wildest dreams,” Cuthbert added, “playing for Chelsea as much as I have, I feel very lucky and privileged but for me, it’s never about being settled.
“It’s a moment to reflect how far I’ve come, but also how much work I’ve still got to do and how far I can go. I want to know where my ceiling is.”