Aston Villa 0-6 Chelsea: Emma Hayes’ side go top of WSL after thrashing hosts

Chelsea have moved top of the Women’s Super League table after an emphatic 6-0 win at Aston Villa to pile more misery on the hosts.

Captain Millie Bright fired the visitors in front in the 21st minute before Fran Kirby extended the champions’ lead with a close-range effort five minutes later.

In the second half, goals from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, substitute duo Ashley Lawrence and Aggie Beever-Jones and Niamh Charles piled more misery on the visitors.

Victory for Chelsea sees Emma Hayes’ side leapfrog Manchester City into first place on 13 points. Villa, meanwhile, remain pointless at the foot of the table after five games played.

In an open start to the game, it was Chelsea who had the better opportunities as Johanna Rytting Kaneryd came close with a vicious strike and Kirby struck the woodwork.

Rachel Daly was made to pay for her missed chance in the 16th minute, firing over the crossbar from point-blank range, as Chelsea took the lead through Bright. The England international fired her shot in on the volley after Mia Fishel had her attempt cleared off the line.

Kirby continued to be dangerous on the counter-attack and deservedly opened her account for the campaign in the 26th minute as she thumped in a close-range rebound after her first shot was blocked.

Chelsea continued their dominance in the second half with another four goals. Rytting Kaneryd struck in the 56th minute with a close-range finish after a slick Chelsea counter-attack.

Lawrence added a fourth thanks to her right knee as she converted Jessie Fleming’s cross before another substitute, Beever-Jones, made it five after a fine solo run down the left flank.

In the 74th minute, Chelsea made it six thanks to a fine side-footed volley from Charles into the bottom corner.

Ward: We’ve got to get out of this | Daly: We can turn this around

Aston Villa boss Carla Ward speaking to Sky Sports: “Everybody knows without momentum in football it’s tough. When you’ve lost four games and sometimes you go a couple of goals down, you think you’re still in, the third is a sucker-punch of course.

“When the confidence is not there that becomes tough. Like I said it’s a tough one, we’re in a really tough spot at the moment but that’s football and we’ve got to get out of it. It’s my job to do that and I will work tirelessly to try and get this back.”

Aston Villa forward Rachel Daly speaking to Sky Sports: “The true football people who watch this game will realise that was a gutsy performance. We’re in a tough spot, we know it’s a long way to go but the belief we have in this team and the staff is massive.

“It doesn’t look good but we’ve got each other’s back and a lot of games coming in November. All we can do is turn this around.”

Hayes to leave Chelsea at the end of the season

Chelsea head coach Emma Hayes will leave at the end of the season, the WSL club have announced.

Chelsea say Hayes is departing “to pursue a new opportunity outside of the WSL and club football”.

Under her leadership, Chelsea have won six FA WSL titles, five Women’s FA Cups, two FA Women’s League Cups, one FA Women’s Spring Series trophy and one FA Women’s Community Shield.

Hayes also guided the team to a historic double on two occasions and achieved one domestic treble.

Six of the best: Watch all of Chelsea’s goals

What’s next?

Aston Villa visit Sheff Utd in the Continental Cup on Wednesday, kick-off 7pm. They then visit Bristol City in the WSL on November 12, kick-off 2pm.

Chelsea are back in action with a trip to Everton next Sunday, kick-off 1pm. Their Champions League campaign then kicks off, when they head to the continent to face Real Madrid on November 15, kick-off 8pm.