Six points currently separate the two sides in the Women’s Super League table as we enter the second half of the season and what promises to be a thrilling title race.

Before that concludes, the first silverware of the season will be won in the Women’s League Cup, with Chelsea and Man City competing for the right to go for glory in the final when we meet in the semis at the Joie Stadium on Wednesday evening, and Bompastor is in no doubt at the size of the challenge her Blues face.

‘Right now City are really performing well and it will be a big game,’ she said. ‘It is really exciting to face a team that is in good form. We know we are going to face a really good team on Wednesday and we will be ready for a tough game.’

The two teams have already met once this season, when goals from Aggie Beever-Jones and Maika Hamano gave Chelsea a 2-1 victory back on the opening day of the WSL season in September.

However, that was City’s first match under head coach Andree Jeglertz, and Bompastor believes their recent form shows they are a more formidable opponent now they have had time to adapt and grow as a team during the campaign.

‘Probably Andree was able to keep the same philosophy in terms of a team that wants to possess the ball, but they are more vertical and efficient in the final third,’ the Blues head coach continued. ‘The way they are performing and scoring goals probably is the biggest difference between last season.

‘When we faced them last time it was the first game under Andree and probably the connection between the players was not the best. It takes time for a new manager to come in and to gel players together.

‘Right now they have probably a better understanding of how Andree wants to play, but also the connection between the players is probably in a better place.

‘Maybe the thing that is better than when we faced them is them being really efficient and clinical in the box, so that is something we will have to be at our best defensively, not to give them many opportunities but also to be strong when they come in our box.’

Speaking ahead of the game against Man City, Bompastor also had praise for 19-year-old Veerle Buurman, after the Dutch defender impressed for the Blues in the weekend’s 5-0 win over Crystal Palace in the Women’s FA Cup.

‘Veerle is a really young talented player. She already has a lot of experience, with Chelsea a little bit, but with her national team also,' Bompastor said.

‘I think her left foot in possession of the ball is really great, she’s able to break lines with her passing. She can play short and long with a lot of quality, she has different range on the ball, she can find really good passes into different team-mates in different positions on the pitch.

‘Defensively also she is getting more and more comfortable. She’s tall, so she can win duels and battles. So it’s really good to have a player like her in the squad. She’s young but she’s very motivated and the last two games she performed well, so we are pleased with her performances and she’s going in the right direction.’