Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says that her side cannot afford to lose another game if they are to retain the Barclays FA Women’s Super League title.
The Blues are just a point ahead of second-placed Arsenal with five games remaining. Chelsea arguably have the tougher run-in with two games against Tottenham Hotspur and one against Manchester United.
Chelsea have already suffered two losses in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League this season and when speaking in the pre-match press conference ahead of this weekend’s match at home to Reading, Blues boss Hayes said that her side cannot afford another defeat.
“I think that every season, when you are in this position, I have learnt that you can’t lose more than two games,” Hayes said. “I know that we cannot afford to lose anything for us to stay in the position that we are in. When you have a countdown towards the end, you go week-to-week more than ever because it’s a long season and you have to grind the big results out at a stage in the season where everything matters.
“We are used to being in this position, we don’t feel pressure because I’d rather be in a position where something is in our control than the other way around.”
Should Chelsea keep Reading out at Kingsmeadow this evening, The Blues will break another record by becoming the first side to keep seven consecutive home clean sheets in the league. Hayes went on to say that her team have been in great defensive form since the Christmas break.
She said “I think that this side of Christmas, we have been amazing defensively regardless of the formation. I think the back-three have done a tremendous job of making it difficult, regardless of who has been in goal. Collectively, them plus the other central pieces have done so well to minimise and reduce chances, I think teams are creating less and less against us.
“It is a real credit to the units for nullifying the threats so long may that continue.”
Chelsea’s Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture against Reading kicks-off at 6.45pm this evening.