Chelsea Women 3 – 1 Brighton Women

Chelsea and Arsenal both recorded important wins in the WSL title race on Wednesday night as the champions beat bottom-of-the-table and manager-less Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1, while Jonas Eidevall’s side saw off Liverpool 2-0.

Chelsea headed into their game with Brighton at the Kingsmeadow Stadium having lost to Arsenal in Sunday’s League Cup final and trailing Man Utd by four points, albeit with two games in hand on the leaders.

However, Emma Hayes’s side knew that nothing less than three points would do if they wanted to keep the pressure on United and that is exactly what they got with a routine victory over a Brighton team reeling after Jens Scheuer’s shock departure as manager.

And it took the hosts all of 12 minutes to make the breakthrough, although in controversial circumstances as Zoe Morse upended Sam Kerr in the box, the only problem being the Australia international was clearly in an offside position when the ball came her way.

With no Video Assistant Referee in action, however, the decision stood, with Guro Reiten doing the rest from the spot, before Jess Carter soon doubled their lead after Brighton failed to clear a corner.

That, effectively, was already game over after just 21 minutes, although the home side did not add a third until 19 minutes from time after a lovely break involving Kerr, who laid a goal on a plate for Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, her first for the club.

The visitors produced a spirited second-half display, though, and were rewarded for their efforts when Danielle Carter bundled home a late consolation.

Meanwhile, Arsenal also kept pace with United by easily dispatching a Liverpool team who had not played since February 12, taking the lead just before the half-hour mark as Stina Blackstenius smashed home an unstoppable effort.

The hosts had already seen a Leah Williamson strike ruled out for offside, but Caitlin Foord soon made life comfortable for the Gunners when heading home a second 11 minutes before half-time after yet more good work by Blackstenius.

After that, the Gunners kept the visitors quiet to move to within six points of United, and they have a game in hand on the leaders as the battle for the title hots up.

‘There was a reaction from the Arsenal loss’

Analysis by Kelly Smith on Sky Sports:

“Three points, a nice early goal, it is good that she [Emma Hayes] can rotate the squad, we know she has one of the best squads in the league, and she has shown that again today, making so many changes and getting a win, which was much needed,” she said.

“And there was a reaction from that result, the Arsenal loss (in Sunday’s League Cup final), the hurt was there and they wanted to come out and prove that this place is a fortress and it was again for them tonight, scoring three goals.

“They will be a little bit upset with the late consolation goal, which seems to be happening, they are conceding far too many, but big game for them on Sunday against Man Utd, that is the biggie.”

What the managers said…

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes:

Brighton interim head coach Amy Merricks:

What’s next?

Chelsea host WSL leaders Man Utd on Sunday, kick-off at 12.30pm, while Brighton entertain Man City on the same day, with their game getting under way at 2pm.

Meanwhile, Arsenal host Reading on Sunday evening in a game you can see live on Sky Sports Football (6.45pm), and Liverpool entertain Tottenham Hotspur a few hours earlier (2pm).