We have enjoyed three consecutive victories across three different competitions since the turn of the year and a win against Brighton on Sunday would see us extend our lead at the top of the league table to six points ahead of the remaining fixtures on Sunday.

Our previous encounter with Brighton at Kingsmeadow in October saw us play out an entertaining six-goal thriller as we emerged 4-2 victors on the day. Sjoeke Nusken scored a first career hat-trick and teed up Aggie Beever-Jones for her first Chelsea goal.

Speaking ahead of the trip to Brighton, Hayes began by welcoming our newest recruit Mayra Ramirez to the club. The 24-year-old Colombian forward completed her move from Spanish side Levante on Friday and got straight into the thick of the action.

‘She trained with the team, it’s great to have her and we’re very excited. Everyone knows her qualities, she’s got an unbelievable presence and size.’

‘It’s not just her ability to hold up the ball and get in the box, she’s powerful and she can get beyond defenders. She’s excited to be here and we are excited to have her.’

Hayes reflected on the reverse fixture against Melissa Phillips' side earlier this season, acknowledging the Seagull's threats and emphasising our focus remains firmly on what we can control on Saturday.

‘When we played them at Kingsmeadow, they countered on us to score the first goal. The way they commit numbers forward and link with (Elisabeth) Terland in particular, means they have a really good attacking threat.

'We’ve been showing that to the team to prepare them, but we need to focus on ourselves given it's such a tight turnaround. We've only had a day preparation. We’ve got out all the details we needed and we’re ready.’

A busy fixture schedule before the mid-February international break means there have been – and will be more – tight turnarounds to navigate. However, Hayes believes games in quick succession can help nurture relationships on the pitch.

‘We’ve had a little bit of continuity in the last two games, sometimes it’s easier when have a lot of games in quick succession. Not from a freshness perspective, but in terms of connections on the pitch.

‘I hadn’t made a lot of changes between games and I think the whole squad will be utilised in the next two matches for sure. I think we’ve found a little bit of a rhythm, even though we’re not at our best.