NEW Sunderland signing Suzanne Mulvey says she cannot wait to make her FA Women’s Super League debut as Manchester City prepare to visit the Hetton Centre tomorrow.

Scotland international Mulvey was the Lady Black Cats’ first signing in the off-season having joined from Rangers.

The striker has been capped 38 times by her country but she sat out Sunderland’s stunning WSL1 victory against Liverpool in the season’s curtain-raiser last week.

The 30-year-old will be vying for place in Carlton Fairweather’s squad against Manchester City though, and she intends to make her mark if given a chance.

“It will be really exciting for me to play that first home league game,” she said. “As a new player I really can’t wait to experience that home environment with all the fans coming down and I’m sure we’ll get a good crowd.

“I’m going to take each game as it comes but Manchester City will be a great test for us as one of the biggest teams in the league.

“I wanted to come to this league because it’s so competitive with no weak teams and plenty of very quick players that always cause problems but I’ll take it one game at a time for the first few weeks.

“It’s fantastic to have joined Sunderland. Being a striker, my job is obviously to score goals and hopefully I can use my experience to do that in the WSL.”

While Sunderland have had plenty of time to reflect on their 2-1 success against reigning WSL1 champions Liverpool, Nick Cushing’s Manchester City got their campaign off and running with a goalless draw against Birmingham City on Sunday.

Toni Duggan was guilty of missing City’s best chances in a game in which Birmingham failed to finish with their full compliment after Freda Ayisi was sent off.

And boss Cushing has warned his side they must seek an immediate improvement having only narrowly beaten WSL2 side Doncaster Rovers Belles in the FA Women’s Cup fifth round to kick off their season.

“The match against Doncaster showed that there won’t be easy games in the league and that you can’t under-estimate any side,” said Cushing.

“Sunderland are a good side and are in the league on merit, so we can’t go into the match with any sort of complacency.

“We prepare for every match the same and with the same hard work and respect for our opponents, so we will do that for Sunderland and we will make sure all the players are switched on and prepared for a tough match.

“Whoever we play it will be hard and it’s just about who is better prepared and more organised on the day.”

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