A penalty in each half from Guro Reiten and a brilliantly-worked Erin Cuthbert strike ensured Everton were seen off at Kingsmeadow, although the performance was not as dominant as the final scoreline suggests.

Hayes once again emphasised the ever-improving standard in the WSL as the reason why the Blues did not have a comfortable evening's work. Yet she insisted there is come to come from her side.

‘You’ve seen with other results today that there isn’t an easy game in the league, and I said that to the players beforehand,' Hayes explained.

'I felt we made it a game because we were impatient. There were turnovers and the game became a little bit transitional.

'However, I do think we are more solid than we were before Christmas and I do think it is a lot harder to get good chances, high xG chances, against us. That is because the organisation across the team is a lot better.'

Hayes continued: ‘I like the competition [across the league]. I think it’s important to have it. Man City aren’t going to let up; they have been solid the whole way through the season.

'Tonight we take the three points but do I think we’ve got another level in us? Yes, I do. Definitely. The team knows that, too, and the good news is we’ve got a run of games to build.’

Hayes made ten changes to her starting XI against Everton, one of which was bringing January signing Mayra Ramirez in for her full Chelsea debut.

The Colombian international impressed on her first outing at Kingsmeadow and it was her driving run in the 70th minute that led to our second penalty of the evening.

‘With Mayra, you can see she has obvious physical qualities,' Hayes reflected. 'She is, surprisingly, also quicker than I thought.

'We've only had a handful of sessions with her and we’re having to translate a lot. So given that, the application of that limited knowledge was great.

'I think she is going to ruin a few defenders. She is so physical and even when you think she isn’t going win the ball, she shoves you out of the way. So, not a bad full debut for her.’