Melissa Phillips says the growth of women’s football will bring “critics and naysayers”.

But she takes that as a sign the game is progressing and developing – even if some people don’t like it.

The Albion head coach has been preparing her side for a WSL six-pointer at home to Bristol City while national headlines are taken by off-field matters.

Former England international Eni Aluko said she felt scared after receiving online abuse.

While Phillips said that specific case has not been discussed a lot at Brighton, there has been a recognition that the increased attention on the women’s game will not all be of a positive nature.

Asked about Aluko’s comments, Phillips said: “It is not something there has really been a lot of chatter about among the team.

“But we speak quite often about the growth of the game and what that brings.

“It is always going to bring critics and naysayers and people who don’t want to see it grow.

“It's important that the players and staff have the tools and support to manage it.

“It is no different in the men’s game. You get critics in different ways.

“It is to be expected, which is a sign the women’s game is growing and imposing itself, whether people like it or not, and it’s great to see it is moving in that direction.

“It is important we lean on our clubs, like the leadership at Brighton, who are fantastic in continuing to support and grow the game and have plans for a stadium and things like that, which are always going to cause a ripple in the water for people who don’t want to see it grow.

“It’s about making sure the players have the support they need, that we open the doors to that.”

Albion are uncomfortably close to the bottom of the table ahead of Bristol City’s visit to Broadfield on Sunday (2pm).

Phillips said they will making additions “soon” via the transfer window and that quality would come rather than quantity.

She added: “The January window is always one where we have to really get things right.

“Where we are in our building phase and the progress we have made, it’s not just about adding a handful and a number of names.

“It is about adding the right fit, who we know is going to come in and impact the team.

“We are looking to do that in a couple of ways.”

Phillips said Albion felt they had over-performed against top teams while under-performing against the rest so far this season.

She added: “We know and took accountability that the final two performances to close out the first half of the season were not our best and we actually feel the last three weeks we have grown a lot.

“We have been sharp and now we have got to go and test ourselves. The proof is in the pudding.

“We have to make sure the performance matches the mindset of the group, and the mindset is full of belief.

“We look forward to attacking the challenge of the second half of the season.”

Portugal international Tatiana Pinto scored twice at Luton and has shown inventive signs in the league fixtures.

Phillips said: “Tatiana is such a creative and dynamic player.

“When we have seen her throughout league or cup matches, she really has the ability to open up teams with her movement off the ball.

“You see that with the type of runs she selected to get in behind and where she scored her first goal.

“The second goal comes from a header at a corner so there are a variety of different ways she can create for the team.”

Phillips says Bristol City have been solid at the back and can attack at pace, converting a high percentage of their chances.

Their last two away league games have brought draws at Everton and Liverpool.