Emma Hayes expecting Chelsea backlash after losing cup final to Arsenal

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes is confident their disappointing 3-1 Continental Cup final defeat by Arsenal will rouse a redemptive response when they host Brighton in the Women’s Super League on Wednesday.

It took Sam Kerr under two minutes to net the opener at Selhurst Park on Sunday, but the Gunners staged a stunning comeback and were in control by half-time thanks to a Stina Blackstenius equaliser, captain Kim Little’s penalty and Niamh Charles’ own goal.

Third-placed Chelsea are hunting for their fourth straight WSL title and sit four points behind league leaders Manchester United, but have two games in hand on them and second-placed Manchester City.

Hayes agreed the midweek match-up with strugglers Brighton, just two points clear of bottom-dwellers Leicester, could be just the opportunity Chelsea need to bounce back, saying: “Any opponent you just want to go again. We’ve just got to be ready. We’re at home, for us the focus has to be back on the league.

“The team are disappointed, everybody’s disappointed with the way we performed. So I expect there will be a reaction from the group, and that’s what I think I hold so dearly about this team, that I know there will be a response.”

Chelsea have won four out of the last five WSL trophies, losing only to Arsenal in 2019 – until Sunday the Gunners’ most recent claim to silverware.

The Blues also lifted the FA Cup in 2021 and 2022 and were Conti Cup champions in 2020 and 2021, finishing runners-up to Manchester City last season.

“We’ve won the vast majority of titles over the last four years,” added Hayes.  “I don’t think winning everything all the time is a normal thing. I think the better team won, but it’s just the game.”

Sunday’s League Cup final was announced as a sell-out in the build-up, with the 19,010 who made the trip to south London part of a record-breaking Conti Cup crowd of around 11,000 more than last campaign’s decider held at AFC Wimbledon.

Arsenal and Chelsea are still in the running for the Champions League title, with the first leg of the quarter-finals later this month.

Arsenal were the first English side to lift the Champions League trophy when they clinched it as part of an historic quadruple during the 2006-07 season, while Chelsea fell 4-0 to Barcelona in the 2021 final.

After getting knocked out by the Blues in last weekend’s FA Cup fifth round, Arsenal midfielder Lia Walti believes claiming their latest prize could give the Gunners an all-important lift before they travel to Bayern Munich on March 21.

She said: “We waited a long time to beat Chelsea in a final. It feels amazing. I think today we just deserved it, put our chances into the net.

“It means so much. I think it always gives a lot of confidence. We always have belief that we’re able to win trophies but there was always a little bit missing, and finally we could put today on the pitch what we are capable of. It’s amazing to see.”