Jessie Fleming’s second-minute goal and a superb breakaway effort by Sam Kerr just before the break put us in control.

A Fran Kirby strike and a header by Magdalena Eriksson soon after the resumption earned a first league win away against Man City at the ninth time of asking.

Hayes said we were far from our best before the interval because of a hectic schedule, but showed all our resilience to lay the platform for a victory which closes the gap to leaders Arsenal to just one point.

‘Five away games on the bump, I was worried about this game,’ Hayes explained. ‘I was worried about the amount of travel.

‘When you have one game a week like Manchester City did, that little bit of freshness was the difference in the first half.

‘The midfield overload overwhelmed us in the first half. We made an adjustment and at half-time we made another tactical adjustment. We had the numerical superiority and that moment made it tougher for them.

‘In the second half, in the first 25 minutes, we were immense. We played like champions. The team was much more aggressive in our starting positions and we showed confidence in possession - something we didn’t do in the first half.

‘The manner about how we went about the third and fourth goal from restarts is off the training ground. The team delivered a top, top performance on the back of having had a lot of travel and for that reason I can’t ask any more of them.’

Hayes was eager to stress the quality of the team performance but also reserved special praise for Scotland attacker Erin Cuthbert, who defended superbly against Lauren Hemp on the right side of the defence - as well as setting up both of the second-half goals.

‘Erin, wow,’ Hayes said. ‘She was exceptional. She was everywhere.

‘You are talking about Lauren Hemp here and Erin did an unbelievable number on her. You talk about delivering performances for your team when it’s not your job necessarily, well that’s what an unbelievable team player does.

’She took one for the team, and she did that better than I could have ever expected. Erin will do any job you ask her to do. She had to play right-back, she was tenacious and she did it with conviction. And she offered a lot going forward.

‘Erin has been at another level this season. Her and Guro Reiten on either side have been outstanding. Jess Carter was a real towering presence at the back. She led from the back.

‘We have had a game every three or four days so this is not easy. To deliver a 4-0 away win…my hat is off to my team.

‘What we did here today without us being at our best out of possession and with possession - that ability to suffer and that ability to stay in the game - that is why our team is one of the best teams.’

Hayes was able to allay fears about the injury that forced goalkeeper Ann Katrin-Berger to come off in the second half following a first-half collision with Hemp.

‘She took a kick on her shin so it’s bruised,’ Hayes said. ‘I don’t think it’s any worse than that.

‘It’s a sore one. It was the right decision to take her out.’