Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has praised Sam Kerr after she scored in her 100th game for the club against Arsenal at the weekend.

The Australian international helped secure the Blues’ passage to the Women’s FA Cup quarter-final, bagging the second in a 2-0 win. It was her 82nd goal since moving to Stamford Bridge in 2020 and the performance she produced was even more impressive, considering she had been on a flight from Down Under just a few days before. Hayes was full of compliments for the striker:

“Some players get off a plane on Thursday night and complain about being tired on Friday – not her. She comes in, does everything necessary and lifts the spirit of everyone in the building. She is the best in the business, and it’s not just 82 goals in 100 games, it is the mentality. The spirit shown in challenging circumstances which, as a team, we showed better today.”

Kerr has been a key contributor to Chelsea’s recent success, having won eight major trophies, including three consecutive Women’s Super League titles.

The 29-year-old has also picked up numerous individual accolades, including the WSL Golden Boot (on two separate occasions), as well as the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.

This season, Kerr has been racking up the goals once again, with her strike against Arsenal taking her total to 21 in only 22 appearances.