The Blues take on Leicester in a 7pm kick-off at Kingsmeadow, one of four remaining league games. We are four points behind leaders Manchester United with two games in hand but the Red Devils are in good form, having won their five league matches since Chelsea beat them two months ago.

‘Absolutely we have to win all four games,’ Hayes insists.

‘We're in a good rhythm. We like the games. Yes it is tiring in one element, because it's a quick turnaround, but if you ask the dressing room what they would prefer, back-to-back games or lots of training, players will always choose to play back-to-back games.’

Chelsea have also been in impeccable league form and won 7-0 last time out, but still there are fine points to address.

‘We just need to focus on the details that we give them in the analysis and then on the training ground. Yesterday the team delivered what we asked and the expectation for me is that we improve upon the start of games. We have to be better than we have done.

‘The last two games, especially structurally, when we've set the team up, the players have to perform what we're asking of them.’