Magdalena Eriksson has warned Arsenal there is no chance of complacency from Chelsea in the League Conti Cup final despite their sensational run of form.
The Chelsea captain was part of the side that defeated the Gunners less than a week ago in the FA Cup fifth round, when Sophie Ingle and Sam Kerr scored, the Aussie striking on her 100th Blues appearance. That tie made up part one of a back-to-back cup double header between the London rivals, who also meet at Selhurst Palace in the Conti Cup final on Sunday afternoon.
Both sides are competing on multiple fronts as we enter the business end of the season. The pair have Champions League quarter-finals to come this month, but Chelsea have had the edge between the two recently in the cups. Emma Hayes' side won the delayed 2021 FA Cup final at Wembley against Arsenal and also knocked them out at the semi-stage last season.
Domestically, the Conti Cup was the only trophy Chelsea failed to win last season, losing 3-1 in the final to Manchester City. Eriksson says they are determined to go one better this season and said that last week's FA Cup win over Arsenal won't alter their focus going into the final.
"In a final, it all depends on who is ready and who is up for it on that day," she said. "So we’re not concerned too much about beating them (Arsenal) in the game last weekend.
"We know it is a new game with new challenges and we just have to be switched on. We lost the final last year and we don’t want to repeat that.
"I haven’t thought much about them being a different team - we have had two tough games against them. Even on Sunday, it was a tough game, they had some chances as well. They are a very strong team and have had a tough time with injuries, but are still a top side so we have to be ready for Sunday.”
Chelsea could take the first step on the road to a historic season on Sunday and repeat Arsenal's most famous achievement. In 2007, the Gunners won a clean sweep of trophies, winning the old UEFA Women's Cup and all three domestic titles.
Hayes' side will still be in with a chance of their own quadruple this season if they beat Arsenal to claim the Conti Cup. They are still alive in the last eight of the FA Cup and Champions League and they are also right in the mix to retain the Women's Super League. Skipper Eriksson believes they would take great confidence from getting the first trophy under their belts ahead of a huge run-in.
She added: “It would be massive for us (winning on Sunday) and we can feed off of that - winning titles and achieving our goals. We talk about it so much. The process is important but it is always about winning at the end, we aren’t shy about the fact we love to win.
"That is why we have come really far in a lot of competitions over the years, because we have that drive. Everyone is willing to do whatever it takes, even in training, all the talk is about who is winning there.
"We're never satisfied with winning the league or a cup one year, we always want to come back and win it the next year.
"We are coming into some really tough games after the Conti Cup. So this would be a really big energy boost. We have Champions League coming up, so to get such a big boost from a trophy would be really important for us. We’re going to prepare all week and give it everything on Sunday."
England star Lauren James will be out to impress on the big stage again after winning the Arnold Clark Cup Player of the Tournament award over the recent international break. Eriksson has been delighted to see her teammate in a rich vein of form ahead of the crucial run-in.
"Lauren’s development lately is amazing," she said. "She is in a league of her own it seems like that at the moment it feels like. It is just fun to follow her and I think you can see when she is injury free just how good she can be. Following her journey has been amazing."
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