Aston Villa Women 0-3 Chelsea Women: Champions canter to ruthless win and move into second place
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WSL highlights: Chelsea boost title hopes with dominant win over Aston Villa
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said she wanted "to make the title race interesting" after her side moved to within a point of the top of the Women's Super League with a ruthless win over Aston Villa at Bescot Stadium.
Playing in their first match since their Champions League quarter-final heroics on Thursday, Jelena Cankovic put the Blues ahead midway through the first half.
Guro Reiten doubled their lead just before the break, before Sam Kerr rounded off the victory with a third in the 56th minute.
"We want to make it interesting, it's good for the game," Hayes told Sky Sports.
"Nobody knows what's going to happen. I just know that if our team show up like they did today then we will certainly put ourselves in a better position."
Kerr's goal was her 50th in the WSL and Hayes said the striker "means everything for this team".
The Blues boss added: "She not only makes the difference on the pitch she does it off it too. We can count on her."
Brilliant Blues 'rock up' after European heroics
With a game in hand on leaders Manchester United, the Women's Super League title is back in second-placed Chelsea's hands.
Last week's loss to Manchester City has been put well and truly behind them with their efforts in the past two matches.
The trip to Villa took place just three days after they edged out holders Lyon on penalties in the Champions League quarter-finals.
"Honestly I don't even know [how we recovered from Thursday]," Norway winger Reiten told Sky Sports.
"We've played so many games with such high intensity. We have injured players, players struggling with bits and pieces, but somehow we managed to rock up with this performance.
"I am very proud. It was ruthless and it was what we needed."
Sam Kerr's goal was her eighth of the season in the WSL
Midfielder Cankovic was handed a rare start as Hayes made five changes, and the Serb put Chelsea ahead in the 22nd minute, finishing a rebound from close range.
Forward Kerr then struck the crossbar, before Cankovic turned provider, setting up Reiten who netted two minutes before half-time.
Kerr added the third from a tight angle and could have made it four had Villa keeper Hannah Hampton not made a smart save to deny the Australia captain as Chelsea finished strongly.
Daly frustrated as Villa remain fifth
Only Manchester City's Khadija Shaw has scored more WSL goals than Aston Villa's Rachel Daly this season.
But the 13-goal forward was kept relatively quiet, her best chance a backheeled shot easily saved with the scores goalless in the 19th minute.
In the closing stages, Daly went close again, firing a shot wide after good work from Kirsty Hanson.
Villa have now lost all six of their WSL games against Chelsea, conceding 14 goals and scoring just once in reply.
They remain fifth, nine points off fourth-placed Manchester City as they look to cement their status as being the best of the rest.
Both teams face each other again, after the international break, in the Women's FA Cup semi-final on Sunday, April 16.
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