Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has called on her side to step up a level in their pursuit of the FA WSL title.
Speaking to the Chelsea website ahead of her side’s game against Manchester United on Sunday, Hayes feels her side can still improve as the WSL enters its final stretch:
“It’s important to just focus on the process, not the outcome, and the challenge for the players is can we consistently sustain the levels whilst raising the bar.
“The challenge to the squad is that I want to see it – I want to see what our next level is against United and I want to see what we are truly capable of.”
A Familiar Opponent
This weekend’s game will be the second time the sides have faced each other at Leigh Sports Village in as many months after Chelsea’s 1-0 win in the Continental Cup semi-final in January.
Only a Maren Mjelde strike separated the sides on that occasion and the Chelsea boss knows how much of a threat Casey Stoney’s side pose:
“I respect Manchester United and Casey Stoney, she’s done an incredible job with that young group and we are going to have to be at our very best, and the best has to be better than we have shown at any other point this season if we are to win the game.” said Hayes
“They don’t commit a lot of numbers forward because their defensive organisation is so strong and they are the toughest team for us to break down so far this season, so we really have to work for a goal against them.”
The Form Guide
The Blues are unbeaten in all competitions this season and come into the game on the back of an 8-0 win over West Ham United last week – their biggest win all season despite missing Sam Kerr who is on international duty with Australia.
United meanwhile have only one win in 2020, against Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight ago and were knocked out of both cup competitions last month.