The Australian international was in the attack when the Blues lifted this particular trophy for the first time back in 2020, when today’s opponents Arsenal were defeated, and she netted a hat-trick in 2021 against Bristol City. Last season Kerr netted first in what turned out a 3-1 defeat by Manchester City. Now the Blues are determined to win the trophy back with the consistency of our leading scorer this season an important part of the challenge for silverware.

‘It's no surprise to me, Sam is everything that I could have hoped for and more,’ says Hayes on the threat Kerr poses to opposition sides.

‘I really value and enjoy working with Sam in so many different ways because as I've always found, the top performers, the ones who produce time and time again, it has nothing to do with talent. Everybody has that, it is the fact that she's just so consistent in her habits all the time.

‘From a technical, tactical and physical perspective, she can keep doing it again and again and she is undoubtedly one of the best I have ever worked with.’

Unfortunately, Fran Kirby’s knee injury means she and Kerr will not be able to resume their famous strike partnership today and Hayes has an update on the England international’s fitness.

‘Fran had a PRP injection this week. We're waiting for that to settle down,’ Hayes says.

‘The way PRP works very much means you have to give it a good week. This is a second one so we'll see how that pans out, probably the back end of next week.

‘We’ve played a large chunk of the season now without Fran Kirby and Pernille Harder and we have done a tremendous job to do that without such goal involvements from two superb players.

‘The last thing both of them want is to be in the position they're in and I hope we get one or both of them back relatively soon because they are important players to us. I don't have a crystal ball. I don't actually know when that's going to be.

‘Fran has had this in the past and it could settle down and I hope it does but neither one of us knows when that exact time is, so I can't give a timeframe.’

When Chelsea knocked Arsenal out the FA Cup last weekend, in addition to a Kerr goal, Sophie Ingle was on target. As well as today’s cup final, a big week for the midfielder will continue when she receives her OBE for services to football.

‘The Queen of Wales, that's what we call her,’ says Hayes. ‘It’s the red carpet treatment for her next week and thoroughly deserved because Sophie's one of the quietest members of my team but one who has such a quiet leadership and adds an unbelievable value to the side.

‘I know it will be such a proud day for her and her family having been through it before myself. I know what special day it will be.’