The Blues were beaten 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium, with James involved in a second-half flashpoint with Arsenal's Lia Walti for which she was shown a yellow card by referee Rebecca Welch.

In the days since the defeat, James has been targeted by abhorrent online abuse. The club will take action against any individual that we can identify, as confirmed in a statement released yesterday.

Speaking in her pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow night's UEFA Women's Champions League meeting with BK Hacken, Hayes outlined her view on the abuse James has received.

She said: ‘I think it’s disgusting the amount of abuse she has received from the public, the media, the press. We’re talking about a young player here who, no question, is always working to learn in the background on bits and bobs.

'Some of the language I’ve seen used to vilify her externally is unacceptable. I don’t see the same level of abuse attributed to other players in the league who may have had their own challenging moments.

'It’s fair to say that if I was in her position, I’d be thinking there is racial profiling going on. I think it’s important for the country to recognise she is an important talent and is learning all the time.

'She makes mistakes but I think some of the derogatory and misleading conversations that are happening, during the commentary, during the games, and on social media is something that everybody should reflect upon.’

Hayes was subsequently asked in the press conference how James, who only turned 22 years old in September, was dealing emotionally.

‘She is not in a great place, if I am honest,' replied the Chelsea Manager. 'When it starts on broadcasting, the way they speak about things, they need to reflect on labelling players. She is a young player and made an error in the summer [while on international duty with England].

'She has to keep learning those things but they aren’t done in single segments. It’s ongoing work. Sometimes, some of that, you can have really good moments with it, and sometimes not.

'When I say she’s a young player, there is nothing consistent in some of those things that happen, both in terms of performance and outcomes. But my job as a coach is to keep teaching her to find those levels of consistency and keep challenging her on the important things.

'Of course, every opponent tries everything possible to get Lauren red-carded; that has been clear one every game we have played. She has to learn to handle that, she has to learn to do that when she gets antagonised in a certain way.

'Managing emotions comes with maturity, that isn’t there yet with her. It reminds me of David Beckham in many ways when he got red carded at the [1998] World Cup, the treatment of Lauren sometimes is very similar.

'We have to realise for a young person, in a day and age where social media is unbelievably vitriolic, some of the nasty language, labelling, and name-calling, it goes over the edge, to be honest with you.

'If you add racism in that for her, you can understand why her mental health isn’t in the best place this week.’