Though Manchester City boss Nick Cushing has told his players to only worry about themselves on Sunday, Nikita Parris admits she is hoping her England youth team colleague Beth Mead can do them a big favour at Chelsea.
SSE Women’s FA Cup winners Chelsea are two points clear of City at the top of the FA Women's Super League with BT Sport 1 table.
The Blues can complete the double with victory on the final day of the season but, should they drop points against Sunderland – as they did in July when Mead hit a hat-trick in a 4-0 win – Cushing’s team will be waiting to capitalise.
Manchester City v Notts County
FA Women's Super League with BT Sport 1
6pm, Sunday 4 October
Academy Stadium, Manchester
Parris knows City must fulfil their side of the bargain and beat Notts County first and foremost, though says it will be difficult not to wonder what is happening at Staines Town.
“Sunderland have proven this season that they are a quality team and Beth Mead has been scoring goals for fun,” said Parris, who has scored three league goals so far this season.
“In their last game against Chelsea they won 4-0 so I’m confident on the right day they can get the right result for us.
“Notts County have been our banana skin team this season. At their place we were 2-0 up and they came back to draw 2-2.
“We have to concentrate and not take it for granted; we can’t be complacent.
“Nick is always telling us to play the game first and not think about scoreline – whether it is 1-0 or 1-1 at half-time. We just have to play the game.
“If Chelsea drop points and we win then we could win the league, so it is a very exciting time.”
Notts County’s hopes of ending their season with silverware have long since fizzled out.
Defeat to Chelsea in the SSE Women's FA Cup Final has been followed by a dip in their league form, but defender Fern Whelan is happy the Lady Pies will still have a say in the destination of the WSL 1 title.
Whelan (second left) celebrates her goal against Liverpool earlier this season
“We are aiming for a win and it will make the title race more exciting, it makes the match more exciting. I think we can match any team in the league,” said the former Everton star.
“I have a few friends in the Man City team and they want to win the league but our aim is to finish as high in the table as possible.
“When we drew with them earlier in the season I don’t think they expected us to do that well against them.
“It is a tough fixture, the way they play and the way we play is so different.
“We will try to break them down and they will try to catch us on the break.
“If we manage to stretch them during the match it could mean we put them on the back foot and cause them problems.”
