Chelsea Ladies 2-1 Sunderland Ladies

Chelsea moved within just one point of the Women's Super League One title with two games to go as they beat Sunderland soon after rivals Manchester City lost.

Victory ensured that Chelsea can secure a league and cup double if they avoid defeat at Bristol City on Tuesday.

Fran Kirby's heavily-deflected strike and Eni Aluko's close-range finish gave Emma Hayes's side a two-goal lead.

Sunderland pulled one back through Keira Ramshaw's late, crisp finish off the post, but defeat kept them ninth.

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Hayes' side, who beat Bristol City 6-0 on the season's opening weekend in the reverse fixture, are bidding to reclaim the title they first won in 2015.

Saturday's win over the Lady Black Cats on a wet night at Kingsmeadow put them six points clear of City, whose defeat at Arsenal was their second in a row since going above Chelsea on goal difference on 3 May.

Kirby somewhat fortuitously opened the scoring when her shot was deflected and looped over keeper Rachael Laws.

Midfielder Katie Chapman, who was playing in her final home game for the club before retiring this summer, was unlucky not to score when she struck the inside of the post from long range.

Aluko doubled the hosts' lead with a first-time finish after the break, before a late scare from the visitors, but Chelsea held on.

Aluko set for summer transfer?

Speaking after the game, Aluko hinted at a summer departure from the club, saying it was "likely" to have been her final home game at Chelsea.

The 31-year-old was understood to have been in talks with French side Paris St-Germain and one other overseas team, in January.

"We were really consistent," the England international said. "Today we proved the strength of the squad. Emma Hayes rotated the team and trusted the players who have sat on the bench.

"I felt good as soon as I got on the pitch today, I felt I had a good feeling, I have felt sharp all year and I am really focused on training.

"If it is to be my last home game today, which it is likely to be, then I really feel very proud to have finished off by scoring and to have given the Chelsea fans a goal."

Sunderland defender Rachel Pitman:

"We are obviously disappointed with the result, but if we look back on previous games against them, to see how far we have come, we had plenty of chances on the pitch today and I think in previous games against them we have not had chances.

"So from that aspect we have to take a lot of positives from our performances.

"We thought we could get a goal and put them under pressure. Unfortunately it came a little too late in the end."