No team has ever overcome such a points margin to avoid relegation from the WSL, but Kirk's side go into Saturday with their fate in their own hands.

"We want to be history makers," Kirk said. "I expect us to do that."

Reading are two points behind Leicester going into the last game, with the unenviable task of hosting a Chelsea side going for the title.

With only one relegation spot in the WSL, the Foxes and Reading are the only two sides who can go down. Whoever does take the drop will be replaced by Championship winners Bristol City next season.

'We have to expect Reading to win'

Leicester travel to Brighton, knowing they have to match Reading's result to survive. But if the Foxes do not win, Reading's superior goal difference means a victory over Chelsea would keep them up instead.

Whatever the permutations, Leicester have achieved something remarkable in not only taking the fight to the final day, but also having their fate in their own hands.

At Christmas, they seemed doomed. They lost their first nine WSL games and were on zero points at the start of 2023.

They got their first victory on 15 January; a 2-1 win over Reading on 2 April could prove decisive.

Leicester could have secured their survival last Sunday after Reading lost at Tottenham the day before - but despite having 26 shots and 66% possession, they fluffed their lines in a 2-1 loss to West Ham.

"Everybody is feeling the same sense of frustration - we dominated the game," Kirk said. "But it looked a bit desperate and nervy, like we needed to score as soon as possible.

"I was surprised at the time, but in hindsight I understand. I think if the games were at same time we would have won, but it was first time we let something external control our emotions - we got hung up on Reading's result.

"The players have been on it, wanting to prove a point. We were proving everyone wrong, but last week we were scared to let people down."

Kirk says they will only be focused on themselves this weekend.

"We want to stay away from matching Reading's result; we want to win the game," he said. "We know if we win, we finish 10th - which is remarkable given where we were five months ago."

He also dismissed the idea of Leicester potentially being able to stay up no matter their result, given Reading's opponents.

"If we think about that, that's where complacency creeps in," he said. "We have to expect Reading to win."

'We are still in the fight'

Reading lost at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last weekend to leave them on the brink of relegation

While Kirk's outlook is understandable, the fact remains that Reading need to do something remarkable to stay up.

Kelly Chambers' side do have a better record than most against the Blues, beating them 1-0 at the Select Car Leasing Stadium last season while they gave Hayes' side a scare in a 3-2 loss in December.

However, with Chelsea winning their past six games in all competitions, scoring 22 goals and conceding just once, the odds are against Reading extending their eight-year stay in the English women's top flight.

Doing so would be one of Kelly Chambers' greatest achievements in an association with Reading spanning 20 years as a player, director of football and - since 2015 - manager.

"As tough as the challenge ahead is for us, it is a game of football," said Chambers.

"As much as it is a hard position to be in right now, the players have really attacked the week in a positive mindset to try to do everything they can for the weekend."

Chambers added: "I have probably been saying this for a couple of games, but however it has come about, we are still in the fight.

"It is an opportunity which we have to give 100%, which we didn't do against Tottenham. We have to leave everything out there.

"We are where we are and for different reasons, and I suppose honest conversations have happened.

"But we can't come off disappointed that we haven't given our best and I think that is how we felt against Tottenham.

"If we do that and we get beaten by a better team on the day, then we can hold our hands up - but we can't let it be down to ourselves again."