Hayes expecting a reaction from Chelsea against Brighton | OneFootball

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes says that she is expecting a reaction from her side against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday.

The Blues crashed to a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup final on Sunday. Chelsea took an early lead in that match through a Sam Kerr header before quickly losing all momentum to their opponents.

Chelsea will have to pick themselves up quickly from that defeat with a home fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion up next on Wednesday evening. The Blues boss Hayes is expecting an immediate response from her side.

“You just want to go again (after losing a cup final) and we have to be ready for Wednesday,” Hayes said when speaking to FAWSL Full-Time. “We are at home and for us, the focus has to be back onto the league.

“The team is disappointed, everyone is disappointed with the way we performed on Sunday, so I expect there’ll be a reaction from the group. What I hold so dearly about this team is that I know there will be a response.”

Despite failing to win the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup, Chelsea still find themselves chasing three other trophies. Hayes hopes that the defeat to Arsenal will help spur her side on to other successes.

She said “I hope so, that is what winning is. We have won the vast majority of titles over the last four years, I don’t think that winning everything all the time is a normal thing.

“On Sunday, the better team won but it is just one game.”

Chelsea’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion kicks-off at 7.30pm on Wednesday evening. Tickets remain on-sale and can be purchased by clicking here.