The Blues boss was thrilled with a ‘ruthless’ 7-0 victory in our last European fixture, a result which put us two points clear at the top of Group A after three unbeaten matches.

We scored six first-half goals on our way to the stunning win in Geneva but Hayes is in no doubt we will face a much sterner test in the return fixture.

‘They will have learned a lot from that first game,’ Hayes added. ‘They sat off us a little bit in the first half.

‘But in the second half they pressed us higher and harder and they will do that again this week. I expect them to make it more difficult.

‘I always think that when you have thumped a team like we have, there is that expectation that you will do it again, which is never the case.

‘Regardless of the result, I want to see the same consistency in the performance.’

Hayes said the effort that went into the big win over Servette ‘took something out of us’ for the first half of the 4-0 league success over Manchester City on Sunday.

‘We really have to use the full squad - especially in the next two games,’ she added.

‘You have a squad for a reason and we have to utilise the squad here to make sure I keep everyone healthy. We have a hell of a schedule moving up. Coming up after the international break, we play the FA Cup final on the Sunday, Juventus on the Wednesday and Reading on the Saturday morning.

‘It is what it is. I trust the players. Everybody has be ready. To compete you have to trust the entire bench.

‘It’s easy to me to say how wonderful the backroom staff are but I am sure if you ask around the game they will talk about the load management and medical provision at our club as being excellent for the players.

‘I am the person who loads the players but I work side by side with the doctor and the medical team to make sure we put them in the best possible position week in, week out.

‘It is the football coach’s job, not the science people. We have had an unbelievable record in the past five years.

‘You don’t get it right all the time but keeping players on the pitch and avoiding the number of muscle injuries you get is about understanding the right loads at the right time.’

Hayes is also delighted that Australia striker Sam Kerr has signed a two-year contract extension, keeping her at the club until the summer of 2024.

Kerr, 28, has scored 39 goals in 56 appearances since joining midway through the 2019/20 season, a record Hayes described as ‘nothing short of remarkable’.

‘Sam is one of the best strikers, if not the best striker in the world, and watching her develop in the past 18 months has been amazing,’ said Hayes.

‘There were lots of people who wondered how she would cope playing in Europe’s football with less space and a less transitional game.

‘Not only has she adapted to that but she has excelled. Her goalscoring record is nothing short of remarkable and her assists column shows her selfless behaviour.

‘She wants to score goals but she is all about the team; she is the ultimate team player and off the pitch she is really easy to manage. She loses her temper every now and then and I hide away! But she is really easy to manage.’

Kerr is in contention to face Servette, but the game on Thursday - and Sunday’s Women’s Super League fixture against Birmingham City Women - comes too soon for Danish striker Pernille Harder and Dutch defender Aniek Nouwen.

‘Pernille and Aniek are still out,’ Hayes confirmed. ‘They won’t go to their international camps.

‘Both are muscle injuries and probably need a week to be on the safe side. We expect them to be fit for the FA Cup final but not earlier than that.’

Thursday evening's game is at Kingsmeadow and kicks off at 8pm. It will be streamed live on chelseafc.com and The 5th Stand app

Play PredictorNew for this season, Chelsea Women fans can also take part in our Play Predictor game on The 5th Stand app. Predict every game so that you are in with the chance of winning a £100 Megastore voucher and a Nike Chelsea shirt or football signed by the Women’s squad, while the top scorer each month will take home a £500 Megastore voucher and either a Nintendo Switch, iPad or PS5.