With the Blues currently occupying top spot in the league, Bompastor is refusing to let standards slip heading into the second half of the campaign.

Ahead of tomorrow’s trip to the Villians, the head coach provided an update on the squad, revealing that Mayra Ramirez and Sandy Baltimore are being monitored closely.

‘We still need to assess some players for the game on Sunday,’ Bompastor opened. ‘Mayra Ramirez is one. She got a knock on her back before the Arsenal game. She couldn’t practice yet normally, but she is due back soon, so she could be available.

‘Sandy is being assessed for her knee, nothing really bad, but we will be cautious with her.’

Tomorrow’s WSL clash is a repeat of this season’s curtain-raiser where Johanna Rytting Kaneryd's strike secured three points against Villa at Kingsmeadow, and reflecting on her first match in charge, Bompastor insists her approach remains unchanged.

‘My mentality is to make sure we take it game by game,’ she continued.

‘I always expect to have a difficult game. The only way to make the game look easier for us is when we are efficient. Every game is three points, so the game coming this Sunday is as important as the Arsenal game we just played.’

However, it’s fair to say that since that opening day fixture, Bompastor has exceeded her own expectations.

She said: ‘It’s always difficult to imagine it going like this. In terms of results, it’s been almost ideal. You always look for the best; you always want to have the best results you can have, and that’s part of our ambition. In every game, we are able to put the right ingredients for us to win, and that’s what we need to keep.’

Speaking on our opponents, Bompastor is relishing the challenge that Villa will pose especially with the arrival of their new manager Natalia Arroyo.

Bompastor added: ‘It’s always difficult when a new manager is coming. She has done great stuff in Spain which demonstrates she is a really good coach. She has her own philosophy and big principles.

‘It always takes time for a manager to settle in and make your team play the way you want, but for sure her players will be motivated and have the desire to show to the coach they have a lot of talent. We are expecting them to be fighting for a win on Sunday.’