The match, which will be Hayes’s 200th WSL game as Chelsea manager, is our first in the competition for two-and-a-half weeks.

Since the previous one, a win at West Ham, we have progressed to the Champions League semi-final but lost in the two domestic cups, and following those loses to Arsenal and Manchester United, our manager wishes for plenty of backing for the team that will be on the pitch against Aston Villa.

‘My job is to keep reminding the players how well they've done over such a long period of time, and how proud I am of the way we keep pushing to be at the backend of everything,’ Hayes said as she looked forward on Tuesday afternoon to the latest challenge.

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‘I just want the players to go and enjoy themselves tomorrow. I want them to play at Kingsmeadow in front of a fanbase that I truly hope appreciates this group of players, because this team over a number of years has delivered so much success to this football club and sometimes I feel the players get taken for granted on that. So I want the fans to show appreciation for them tomorrow.

‘The level of success we've had is difficult all the time and I'm proud that we keep doing that even if it doesn't always go our way. We have to just pick ourselves up and go again.’

Hayes confirmed she will be missing three of her defensive players with Maren Mjelde, Nathalie Bjorn and Millie Bright ruled out. Erin Cuthbert is okay to play despite taking a knock in Sunday’s semi-final. Those that are fit trained well on Tuesday morning.

‘We got a bit battered with the hailstones today,’ Hayes reported. ‘We were running for shelter and thank goodness, Jess Carter stood in the middle and said get over it everyone, let’s play football - so we had a really nice time today.

‘The players thought the hailstones was a mental test from me to test whether they could remain as present as possible without umbrellas. Thanks to the weather system for dropping it at the time it did because it worked.

‘I saw what I wanted to see from the players today; which players are fresh and ready to give to the team at the level we need. I think the group that are starting tomorrow are ready. I always enjoy watching the team play no matter the result and tomorrow is a good challenge for us.’

It is tight at the top of the WSL table with Manchester City three points ahead having played one game more. Every game is vital and Hayes is clear on what that challenge will be from an Aston Villa side we defeated 6-0 in the away game in November.

‘I expect to find a 5-3-2 in a low block with Rachel Daly in the 10 and two nines that are going to hit us on the counter. I expect Aston Villa to come here and make it really difficult for us and think we're a team that are there for the taking, and I hope it is a great game.

‘With these type of blocks it is significantly harder to coach a team to break a team down than it is the other way around. Your positional play has to be spot on, then your rotations and the decision-making execution that comes with that.

'Then of course you've got human beings who are executing that, so trying to get that right is always the biggest challenge. I'm sure every coach of a top team will tell you these are the hardest things, but it's one I look forward to and I love being at Kingsmeadow. I know the players feel really strongly about putting on the right performance tomorrow.’