SWPL: Five things to watch out for as the action resumes on Sunday

Sunday welcomes the return of Scottish women's football from its winter break, with a huge five months ahead, and a football dynasty under threat.

For 14 consecutive seasons Glasgow City have won the Scottish Women's Premier League. But the champions are creaking as the Old Firm turn up the pressure.

Rangers currently lead the way in SWPL 1, although it's a position they were in last season only to falter.

Celtic have just claimed their first trophy in 11 years - is SWPL Cup success a one-off or the beginning of something special?

Rangers are currently two points clear of champions Glasgow in SWPL 1, having yet to lose on league business this season. But Rangers only have to go back 12 months ago when a thumping 5-0 win over City appeared to cement their dominance at the top of the table.

Then the winter break came, City delved into the transfer market, unearthed gems such as South African Ode Fulutudilu and Costa Rica's Priscila Chinchilla and went on to win their 14th consecutive title. What's more, Rangers were usurped to second place by Celtic, missing out on a Champions League spot altogether.

Yet City may not be the force they once were. In the summer, they lost head coach Scott Booth to Birmingham City, midfielder Leanne Crichton left to become Motherwell player-assistant manager and Leanne Ross put an end to her playing days.

In October, City announced Eileen Gleeson would be leaving her role in the Republic of Ireland team to take over as head coach. The scale of the job in front of her is beginning to become apparent.

In three clashes with the Old Firm this season, they have failed to win any of them - the most chastening of which was losing the SWPL Cup final to Celtic last month. Furthermore, it was a fifth defeat in six domestic finals they have contested, hammering home the message they are there to be got at by the rest of the league.

Another big transfer window may be needed, but after suffering an early knockout in the Champions League and failing to reach the lucrative group stages, there may not be the same funds available.

When Celtic and Rangers announced their intention to move into full-time football three years ago, it was expected both would be lifting silverware soon enough. But the obstacles that have been put in Celtic head coach Alonso's way have made the progress under the Spanish coach impressive.

He arrived in January 2020, quickly led his side to a 2-1 win over City, but within weeks that result was made redundant as the season was called due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

When the season began again in October last year, Celtic were very much third-favourites behind big spending Rangers and the reigning champions, but Alonso navigated his side into second place against the odds and secured Champions League qualification.

Now, after beating City in the SWPL Cup final in early December, they have their first trophy since 2010.

It isn't all plain sailing though. Dropped points to Spartans and a league defeat by Rangers have left them stranded in third, five points off the top and outside the Champions League places, leaving Alonso with it all to do in the second half of the season.

Celtic are not the only ones enjoying life under their Spanish head coach. While Scotland are managed by Pedro Martinez Losa, Hearts are under the tutelage of Eva Olid.

Hearts finished bottom of SWPL 1 last season, but with the top division expanding to 10 teams, they were spared relegation. Olid arrived at Tynecastle in the summer and has overseen steady progress; already surpassing last season's entire points total after 11 games.

Edinburgh rivals Hibs are fourth, but after that, the race to avoid relegation is tight. Just two points separate fifth-placed Aberdeen and second-bottom Partick Thistle, with another three teams in between them. Bottom-club Hamilton Academical are only one win away from catching the pack too.

Dundee United lead the way in SWPL 2 with a six-point advantage, but Glasgow Women are threatening a shock as they close in on a play-off spot.

After almost a year of no fans allowed at games, supporters have flocked to women's football in Scotland with a number of records falling.

In September, Hibs hosted Hearts at Easter Road in front of a domestic record crowd of 5,512. Three months on and, in the return at Tynecastle, Hearts posted their largest women's football crowd, with 3,508 turning up.

In between those games, 6,445 took in Scotland against Hungary at Hampden, another record crowd for a competitive women's football fixture in Scotland.

And, in December, the SWPL Cup final at Firhill welcomed 3,645 fans - the highest attendance for a domestic women's cup final in Scotland.

Can 2022 continue the trend? Celtic will host Hibs at Celtic Park on the last weekend of March, opening up the opportunity to smash all previous records.

The Scottish Women's Cup third round kicks off this weekend, when the big guns are welcomed into the competition.

Glasgow ended Hibs' run of three consecutive final wins in November 2019, with this the first time the competition has been played since.

Stewarton Thistle won the first-ever Scottish Women's Cup in 1971, with hall of fame inductee Rose Reilly in their ranks. And, commonly known as Kilmarnock these days, they were the last side outwith City or Hibs to win the trophy in 2003 - with the last 17 finals going the way of Scotland's dominant two.

BBC Scotland has you covered. On Sunday, we will be streaming Hearts v Rangers (kick-off 14:00 GMT) on the BBC Sport website, which will also have live text commentary, as well as iPlayer.

There will also be BBC ALBA coverage of Hibs v Celtic (kick-off 16:00).

And, on Monday, Jane Lewis will bring us highlights from all the matches on the BBC Scotland channel at 19:00.