3 minute read

English champions Chelsea have quickly discovered there's life beyond the absent Sam Kerr as Lauren James stepped up to become their hat-trick hero.

No Sam Kerr, no worries for Chelsea.

As the English champions resumed their defence after the winter break without their Australian talisman, they turned to a home-grown superstar instead against Manchester United on Sunday (Monday AEDT) in the shape of hat-trick hero Lauren James.

The fear for Chelsea was that they might find goals harder to come by in the absence of the Women's Super League's finest striker, with Kerr out for the rest of the season following anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

But James, the best player in the English game who had already scored more goals in the league for Chelsea this season than Kerr, netted her second brilliant treble of the campaign from her attacking midfield role against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge to seal a 3-1 win.

James, who now has 10 goals in their league campaign, has reopened Chelsea's three-point lead over the chasers as they seek a fifth straight WSL title.

It took the attacking midfielder just five minutes to fire past England teammate Mary Earps before new signing Nathalie Bjorn delivered a superb ball over the top for James to latch on to and dispatch the second expertly in the 23rd minute.

Hayley Ladd pulled one back just before halftime but Chelsea, in front of 20,473, sealed victory with five minutes left when James powered clear and beat Earps again.

The recuperating Kerr wasn't at Stamford Bridge, though, deciding instead to pop across London to cheer her fiancee Kristie Mewis on her league debut for West Ham in a remarkable 4-3 home loss to Tottenham.

Kerr's Matildas' teammate Katrina Gorry made an impressive WSL bow for the Hammers, hitting the post with a 20-metre shot as the Hammers pushed for a late equaliser but Spurs enjoyed the last laugh, with their own Australian international Charli Grant being given her league debut off the bench in stoppage time.

Manchester City have moved into second on goal difference ahead of Arsenal after a 5-1 hammering of Liverpool, featuring another hat-trick from Jamaican Khadija Shaw and a wretched afternoon for the Reds' Australian goalkeeper Teagan Micah.

Australian star Mary Fowler, again left on the bench, watched Shaw take her season-leading tally to 12 goals, including a cheekily taken third with a 56th minute backheel.

City were already 4-1 up by then, allowing manager Gareth Taylor the luxury of giving Fowler half an hour off the bench.

Already having gifted Shaw her second goal by passing a ball from her own area straight to her, Micah was lucky not to get sent off when she sent Lauren Hemp sprawling with a wild challenge.

It looked to have happened just outside the box, but a penalty was awarded and Chloe Kelly netted City's fifth. Micah got away with just a yellow card.