Chelsea have scored in 19 successive home league games
England forward Lauren James scored a hat-trick and created one goal as Chelsea beat Liverpool at Stamford Bridge to move six points clear at the top of the Women's Super League.
In the Blues' first home match since manager Emma Hayes announced she will leave her role at the end of the season to become the next boss of the United States women's team, the hosts went ahead after only 11 minutes.
James collected the ball 30 yards out, ran at Liverpool defender Gemma Bonner, got into the penalty area, shifted the ball on to her left foot and drilled a low finish past Rachael Laws.
The assist for James' goal went to Wales captain Sophie Ingle on the day she set a new WSL record for most appearances in the competition - her 184th game to move one clear of former Birmingham City and Tottenham defender Kerys Harrop.
However, Liverpool equalised against the run of play less than two minutes later.
Shanice van de Sanden was able to spin past England defender Jess Carter and run at the home defence, with Carter then inadvertently bundling the ball over her own goalline from Van de Sanden's low cross.
James had been left out of the starting line-up for Chelsea's 2-2 Champions League draw against Real Madrid on Wednesday, but was superb on her recall and her excellent cross from the left was headed in by Aggie Beever-Jones to restore Chelsea's lead.
Chelsea added a third early in the second half, with James collecting Sam Kerr's pass and drilling an excellent low strike into the corner from a tight angle. James then completed her first WSL hat-trick, getting to a pull-back from substitute Johanna Rytting Kaneryd before team-mate Sjoeke Nusken.
James started the move too for Chelsea's fifth as she played in Rytting Kaneryd and her cross was finished at close range by Nusken.
Hayes' team are chasing their fifth successive WSL title and have won six and drawn one of their opening seven league matches in 2023-24.
They have played a game more than second-placed Arsenal and the Gunners will cut the lead back to three points if they win away against Brighton on Sunday.
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Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection
- Chelsea WomenChelsea WomenChelsea WomenLiverpool WomenLiverpool WomenLiverpool Women
Chelsea WomenStarting XIAvgSquad number1Player nameMusovicAverage rating
8.23
12345678910Squad number15Player namePérissetAverage rating
7.38
12345678910Squad number18Player nameMjeldeAverage rating
7.88
12345678910Squad number7Player nameCarterAverage rating
7.71
12345678910Squad number21Player nameCharlesAverage rating
8.68
12345678910Squad number5Player nameIngleAverage rating
7.55
12345678910Squad number33Player nameBeever-JonesAverage rating
8.38
12345678910Squad number6Player nameNüskenAverage rating
7.25
12345678910Squad number22Player nameCuthbertAverage rating
7.47
12345678910Squad number10Player nameJamesAverage rating
9.29
12345678910Squad number20Player nameKerrAverage rating
7.64
12345678910SubstitutesAvgSquad number2Player nameFishelAverage rating
6.40
12345678910Squad number12Player nameLawrenceAverage rating
6.50
12345678910Squad number14Player nameKirbyAverage rating
6.06
12345678910Squad number17Player nameFlemingAverage rating
6.80
12345678910Squad number19Player nameRytting KanerydAverage rating
7.26
12345678910Share your Chelsea Women player ratings withFacebookTwitterWhatsAppCopy and share linkLiverpool WomenStarting XIAvgSquad number1Player nameLawsAverage rating
3.54
12345678910Squad number2Player nameKoivistoAverage rating
4.50
12345678910Squad number17Player nameClarkAverage rating
4.60
12345678910Squad number23Player nameBonnerAverage rating
5.10
12345678910Squad number4Player nameFiskAverage rating
4.70
12345678910Squad number12Player nameHindsAverage rating
4.60
12345678910Squad number14Player nameHöbingerAverage rating
5.40
12345678910Squad number8Player nameNaganoAverage rating
4.40
12345678910Squad number18Player nameHollandAverage rating
4.60
12345678910Squad number19Player namevan de SandenAverage rating
5.00
12345678910Squad number10Player nameHaugAverage rating
4.70
12345678910SubstitutesAvgSquad number7Player nameKearnsAverage rating
4.29
12345678910Squad number9Player nameKiernanAverage rating
4.83
12345678910Squad number11Player nameLawleyAverage rating
5.60
12345678910Squad number32Player nameParryAverage rating
4.83
12345678910Share your Liverpool Women player ratings withFacebookTwitterWhatsAppCopy and share link
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsChelsea Women
Formation 4-1-4-1
1Musovic15Périsset18Mjelde7Carter21Charles5Ingle33Beever-Jones6Nüsken22Cuthbert10James20Kerr
- 1Musovic15Périsset18Mjelde7Carter21CharlesSubstituted forLawrenceat 75'minutes5Ingle33Beever-JonesSubstituted forRytting Kanerydat 64'minutes6NüskenSubstituted forKirbyat 81'minutes22CuthbertSubstituted forFlemingat 81'minutes10JamesBooked at 62mins20KerrSubstituted forFishelat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Fishel3Nouwen12Lawrence14Kirby17Fleming19Rytting Kaneryd24Hampton26Buchanan30Berger
Liverpool Women
Formation 5-3-2
1Laws2Koivisto17Clark23Bonner4Fisk12Hinds14Höbinger8Nagano18Holland19van de Sanden10Haug
- 1Laws2KoivistoSubstituted forParryat 74'minutes17Clark23BonnerBooked at 41mins4Fisk12Hinds14HöbingerSubstituted forKearnsat 45'minutes8Nagano18HollandBooked at 90mins19van de SandenSubstituted forKiernanat 74'minutes10HaugSubstituted forLawleyat 86'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Kearns9Kiernan11Lawley13Enderby15Lundgaard16Micah26Flint32Parry35Taylor
Referee:Kirsty DowleAttendance:12,802Match StatsHome TeamChelsea WomenAway TeamLiverpool WomenPossessionHome60%Away40%ShotsHome19Away10Shots on TargetHome10Away4CornersHome9Away2FoulsHome6Away11Live Text Post update
Match ends, Chelsea Women 5, Liverpool Women 1.
90'+9'Full Time
Second Half ends, Chelsea Women 5, Liverpool Women 1.
90'+8'Post update
Offside, Liverpool Women. Missy Kearns tries a through ball, but Melissa Lawley is caught offside.
90'+5'Post update
Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Rachael Laws.
90'+5'Post update
Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Jenna Clark.
90'+4'Post update
Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Grace Fisk.
90'+4'Post update
Attempt blocked. Ashley Lawrence (Chelsea Women) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
90'+3'Post update
Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Jenna Clark.
90'+2'Post update
Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+2'Post update
Foul by Taylor Hinds (Liverpool Women).
90'+2'Booking
Ceri Holland (Liverpool Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
90'+1'Post update
Ashley Lawrence (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+1'Post update
Foul by Ceri Holland (Liverpool Women).
88'Post update
Foul by Maren Mjelde (Chelsea Women).
88'Post update
Melissa Lawley (Liverpool Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
88'Post update
Foul by Lauren James (Chelsea Women).
88'Post update
Gemma Bonner (Liverpool Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
86'Substitution
Substitution, Liverpool Women. Melissa Lawley replaces Sophie Haug.
83'Post update
Attempt saved. Lucy Parry (Liverpool Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
82'Post update
Jess Carter (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Source: bbc.com