Sam Kerr scored twice to match a club record as Chelsea took a significant step towards Champions League qualification with a clinical second-half performance to beat Everton.
The Blues moved four points clear of Manchester United, who sit third, while Arsenal are a further point back in fourth with three games in hand.
Kerr’s double, along with goals from Ellie Carpenter and Erin Cuthbert, meant a stunning strike from Yuka Momiki for Everton counted for little as Chelsea coasted to victory at Goodison Park.
By reaching 63 goals in her career for Chelsea in the WSL, Kerr has matched former team-mate Fran Kirby’s record haul for the club.
Chelsea went ahead when Kerr finished well after a good through pass from Cuthbert in the sixth minute, but the lead did not last long.
That was because of an outstanding goal from Momiki, who spotted Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton had strayed off her line and fired in from 35 yards just four minutes later.
Sonia Bompastor’s visitors had the better of the remainder of the opening half but could not find a way past Everton keeper Courtney Brosnan again before the break, with Keira Walsh, Alyssa Thompson and Sjoeke Nusken being denied.
With Arsenal in Champions League action, this was a chance for Chelsea to extend their lead over the Gunners in the race for qualification into Europe’s elite competition for next season.
They took it, with Kerr putting them back in front two minutes after the restart when she got on the end of an inch-perfect pass from Lauren James to finish first time from the left side of the area as Brosnan rushed out to try to close the angle.
It was a huge blow for Everton because Maz Pacheco had missed a glorious chance moments earlier when she diverted a Toni Payne cross on to the bar and over with her knee from just a few yards out.
Pacheco did clear one off the line to deny Kerr a hat-trick but Chelsea got their third in the 53rd minute as Carpenter’s deflected effort went over Brosnan after Thompson’s ball in.
Cuthbert completed the scoring when she fired a half-volley past Brosnan from the edge of the box after Kerr had a header blocked.