Leicester 0-8 Chelsea: Leaders pile misery on struggling Foxes with ruthless display

Chelsea made light work of bottom side Leicester to maintain their impressive Women's Super League title defence at the King Power Stadium.

The Blues were five goals up at the break thanks to Guro Reiten, Fran Kirby, Jessie Fleming, Niamh Charles and Sam Kerr.

Fleming then grabbed her second and substitute Beth England headed home number seven.

Kirby added an eighth on a ruthless afternoon for the leaders.

It took just four minutes for Chelsea to take the lead through Reiten, who slid the ball into the bottom corner after clever link-up play with Kirby.

Reiten then got the first of four assists eight minutes later, slotting the ball into Fleming and leaving her with a simple finish from close range.

Fully in control, Chelsea began to exert themselves further, scoring three times in the final six minutes of the opening half.

Kirby got in on the act with a classy outside-of-the-boot finish, before Charles headed home from a Reiten corner.

Not to be left out, Kerr added a fifth as Reiten's assist stole the show again. Her searching ball left the Australian with an easy task, but her finish was typically emphatic.

Five minutes after the break, Fleming added to Leicester's misery. Jemma Purfield's weak clearance from Charles' cross fell to her, and she dispatched with confidence.

Moments after their introduction, Alsu Abdullina and England linked up for the latter to head home a seventh 15 minutes from time.

There was still time for Kirby to bundle home late on, with Abdullina involved again.

Brilliant Blues mark Hayes landmark in style

This result is hardly a surprise. Leicester, albeit improving in terms of performances under Willie Kirk, came into this game bottom of the table without a point from their first eight games.

By contrast, the champions kicked off knowing they'd need a victory to stay there after Manchester United's thumping win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

Although they couldn't match or surpass their numerical dominance from their last visit to the King Power back in March when they won 9-0, their dominance here was just as evident.

It was the Reiten show in the first half, and her ball for Kerr was particularly eye-catching as she enjoyed a record-equalling four assists in the WSL.

But the difference in quality was so great that almost everybody had their moment on the occasion of coach Emma Hayes' 300th match in charge.

Leicester battled well, but will be relieved their season will not be defined by tough games like this as they remain four points adrift of 11th-placed Reading.