Bompastor had not tasted defeat in the WSL since taking charge of Chelsea in the summer of 2024, so when Honoka Hayashi struck in the 12th minute for Everton, there was an expectation the Blues would come roaring back.

We did, to a degree, with the Everton goal peppered over the remainder of the contest. The post was struck twice, the crossbar too, while Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan made a string of fine saves to keep Chelsea at bay at Kingsmeadow.

Despite our relentless pressure – and a Wieke Kaptein free-kick that rattled the woodwork in the dying seconds – the Blues were beaten and, for the first time, Bompastor had to conduct a post-match WSL press conference as the losing head coach.

'It’s a really frustrating result,' said Bompastor. 'It's tough, but I think if we analyse the performance and look at the statistics, I don't think the players could have done a lot more. Maybe we could have been more efficient again, more clinical.

'We created enough shots, crosses, and we hit the woodwork three times. It's just one of these games where the ball didn't want to go in, and it was tough.

'If you want to win games, you have to make sure you score goals. I think, again, if you look at our statistics, we are creating enough to win the games, but we are just not being efficient at finishing the chances. I think, for now, what we need to solve is more like how we can get back to scoring goals.

'In the game tonight, we knew we had to be really switched on and focused on the transitions from Everton. I think they scored from one of these early on in the game, and then things changed after we were running after the result.'

Bompastor's unbeaten run in the Women's Super League lasted almost 18 months, but the Blues head coach was unequivocal in her assertions that extending the record was not a source of pressure for her side.

Instead, she explained that everything achieved last season, a domestic Treble, was put to bed upon its conclusion, and reaffirmed her aims to win on all fronts in the current campaign.

'For me, we were not focusing at all on the unbeaten run,' the boss explained. 'It was not one of our aims going into this new season. Our mindset was more like we started the new season from zero.

'We haven’t won anything yet. We want to be able to compete in every competition. We want to win trophies. Going into every game, we know it will be tough. This league is competitive.'