Having lost ground with a defeat at Liverpool last midweek, the Blues were given a boost this weekend when leaders Manchester City were defeated by Arsenal. Our team then made the most of that with a crushing 8-0 win over Bristol City in Hayes’s final home game. That gives us a marginally better goal difference than Man City. We have the chance to draw level on points when we play our game in hand before the last weekend of the season.

Having told her players after the Liverpool defeat that they must be ready to take advantage of any slip-ups by our rivals, Hayes was delighted they did exactly that with such a resounding victory.

‘The players demonstrated all the things I've taught them over the years,’ she began. ‘They drove it. They lived it. It all came from them.

‘They never gave up and had belief amongst them. They maintained the drive and the determination no matter the setbacks. They wanted to make sure that Kingsmeadow gave Fran [Kirby] and Maren [Mjelde], and yes, me the send-off that was fitting for what 12 years is all about.

‘I learned so much from the players today. I really did. I learned a lot about the importance of belief, the importance of don't write Chelsea off - and the players have driven that. They were exceptional, especially during the second half. Tonight will be a memory for me forever.’

Our manager revealed she did not change her team or her tactics for taking on Bristol City in light of Manchester City’s loss, but said she believed beforehand her team would need to score about six goals to give themselves a chance of ending the season on top, so they surpassed that.

‘I changed something in the second half to get even more attacking players on the pitch,’ Hayes added, ‘but this is not about tactics, it is about attitude, desire, determination, mentality. That's what Chelsea is.

‘I'm sure there'll be another twist but what I know is my team will not give up.’

There is now a gap in the fixtures before the Blues travel to Tottenham a week on Wednesday. Then it is the final chapter the following Saturday when we are away at Manchester United and City are at Aston Villa.

‘I still think it will be tough to win the title, even if we have a game in hand. Look at the opponents we have,’ said Hayes.

‘With Aston Villa, I like to think Carla [Ward] will put up a great performance in her last game in charge.

‘We have to play a brilliant Tottenham team and a Man United team that knocked us out the cup. There is a long way to go but at least we go into those games fresh. That is something we haven't done for a little while.’