The Blues travel to the Sussex FA HQ on Sunday 4 February in the fourth round of the FA Cup hoping to retain our title in the competition.
After a tough meeting with Chelsea in the League, with Karen Bardsley and Steph Houghton forced off with injuries, the defender expects Sunday to be physically demanding but states that the team are used to it.
“The Brighton game will be tough on us after playing Chelsea on Thursday, not just in terms of physically but also with the travel and not being in your own bed – as that plays part in it,” Stokes told ManCity.com ahead of the match.
“We’ve got a good group of professionals and every individual knows what we need to do, so while recovery will be hammered between matches this week.
“I think most of us have experienced this before so it’s not alien to us.”
With the Blues alive in all four competitions and fighting to retain the domestic treble, the defender explained that the squad don’t put too much pressure on themselves.
“From the group, I think everyone is quite logical and level headed about our matches,” the Lioness added. “Yes, we are aware of the occasion we are in, but if you worry about the pressure of retaining our titles and get worked up about it then you’re waiting for a bad performance to happen.
“It’s about being aware of the situation you’re in but not letting it get in the way.
“I think if you start worrying that you can’t concede, and pinpointing things it’s easy to get lost in that.
“It’s football, so anything can happen and they might get a goal past us.
“The unbeaten run is great but it means nothing if we don’t win the league or don’t win the cup so we have to worry about the task in hand at Brighton.”
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