Hayes’s side go into Saturday’s clash with Villa off the back of last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final victory against Manchester City and on a run of four straight wins in the league.

With Arsenal playing on Sunday, a victory against Villa could send Chelsea to the top of the table and Hayes says her players must start on the front foot against the Midlands side.

She said: ‘We have to be patient and we have to wait for the right situations. This is what I want to get right when we are playing in these games. I want a better mentality from the start.

‘I made changes at half-time in the last game when we played Leicester City because I didn’t feel we got that right as a team and I’ll do it again if we have to.

‘My job is to make sure the team are in a place where we take nothing lightly and our mentality is to go from the start to make sure we are dominant.’

Saturday’s opponents Villa made a strong start to the campaign under Carla Ward, taking seven points from their opening three league fixtures.

Villa secured wins against Leicester City and Brighton either side of a 1-1 draw with West Ham United but suffered defeats to Arsenal and Reading in their last two league outings.

Hayes praised the work of Ward, who joined Villa from Birmingham City in the summer and the Blues boss expects tomorrow’s opponents to make it tough for her side.

‘You saw it when they played Arsenal. They were really tough to breakdown,’ said Hayes. ‘She is a manager who is getting the most out of her players and I know it’s going to be a tough game.'

Saturday’s clash with Aston Villa kicks-off at 12.30pm and is available to watch live on the FA Player.

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