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Football London
Football London
Sport
Megan Feringa

Chelsea Women ratings as Pernille Harder flaunts quality in 6-0 Leicester thumping

Leicester City know the wrath of Chelsea better than most, but with four goals gone before the first-half, another high-score hammering felt imminent for the Foxes.

A stormy Kingsmeadow certainly brayed for it, as Guro Reiten opened the scoring in the eighth minute, before Erin Cuthbert doubled the advantage 10 minutes later and Pernille Harder, starting her first match since November, grabbed a brace to bury the Foxes at 4-0 at the interval.

A sublime finish from Lauren James in a scintillating solo move shortly after the restart grabbed Chelsea what looked to be their lone goal of the second-half before Jelena Čanković's scorching effort deep in injury time whipped through the rain and through keeper Janina Leitzig's outstretched hands.

This is the more familiar Chelsea, the free-flowing monster who does not so much distinguish between its opponents as knock goals through them until nothing remains.

Emma Hayes made six changes from the side from the Everton win, with Australian striker Sam Kerr reduced to a bench role following her injury scare.

The rotation hardly made for reprieve for Willie Kirk's side as they failed to lay a facsimile of a glove on the Blues.

The victory sees Chelsea move within a point of Manchester United at the top of the WSL table while touting a game in hand.

With the momentum of 12 goals behind them and zero conceded in their last two matches, as well as the bonus of plenty of rested legs, the Blues look threatening heading into Sunday's FA Cup final clash against Marc Skinner's side.

Below are the ratings for Chelsea's 6-0 win over Leicester City.

Ann-Katrin Berger 8

Back between the sticks following Zećira Mušović's go against Everton, Berger was handed a simple evening with Leicester's threats arriving at a premium. Had slightly more to do with the incoming substitutes but threats were tame.

Eve Périsset 7

Cool in defence and began joining in the attack as the scoreline swelled. Kept Leicester's right flank quiet. Played more of a role in the match's closing stages.

Jess Carter 8

Formed a good partnership with Eriksson and showed composure when pressured by Leicester's Hannah Cain. Comfortably played out from the back and dealt with threats assuredly. Showed confidence to get on the ball and drive forward in another positive performance from the brimming youngster.

Magdalena Eriksson 8

Another typifying performance from the skipper at the back. The Swedish international kept Berger's responsibilities light. Played a pivotal role in Chelsea's counter attacks and wasn't afraid to dictate the players around her as the game drifted into cruise control.

Niamh Charles 8

Neat footwork to evade Leicester's more dogged defenders and send Chelsea's attack into motion. Combined well with Reiten and showed real composure on the ball when playing out from the back. Posed trouble when stepping into midfield or overlapping.

Melanie Leopulz 8

Shored up midfield alongside Cuthbert in the double pivot and coolly played her side out of trouble when Leicester threatened around Chelsea's final third. Showed for the ball plenty and helped to carry Chelsea forward.

Erin Cuthbert 9

Nearly made it to 2-0 shortly after Chelsea's first but didn't have to wait long to grab the second. Exploiting a dawdling Josie Green in her own half, Cuthbert picked the Welsh international's pocket before making light of keeper Janina Leitzig, rounding the German to tap into an empty net.

Dominated midfield alongside Leopulz and hardly put a foot wrong. Showed her typical resilience and physicality.

Subbed after 65 minutes.

Lauren James 7

It was James' low short shortly after the half-hour mark that Harder happily tapped home for Chelsea's third. Looked to be having one of those nights until 10 minutes after the restart when she shimmied onto her left foot from the right and sent a screeching effort into the top left corner.

Could've grabbed a second after good work from Reiten some seven minutes but poor decision-making spoilt the chance.

Replaced after 65 minutes.

Guro Reiten 9

The league's assist leader can't seem to stop scoring this season, with her third goal in her last four appearances coming good before the 10-minute mark. Reiten slid to meet Harder's low hard cross from the right to open the scoring.

A constant threat with and without the ball, instrumental in Chelsea's more dangerous attacks.

Replaced after 65 minutes.

Jelena Čanković 7

Did well to link up play with Chelsea's midfield and played an important role in the build up to attack, even if not front and centre to them. Looked to have scuppered the chance for a sixth before delivering another blow to Leicester at the death, with a rocket from distance.

Pernille Harder 9

Making up for lost time? Perhaps. A goal and an assist in the first-half is as good a turnover as any for a first start since November.

The Danish international led the line for the Blues in the absence of Kerr and was in impeccable form as she supplied the assist to open Chelsea's scoring before tapping home the third then jinking through Leicester's defence on the left to slot home in a solo effort for the fourth.

Prayed on Leicester's backline without much mercy, harrying in the press and drifting all over the front line as she bid to make up for lost time.

Replaced on the 65th minute before she could grab a hat-trick.

Subs:

Sophie Ingle N/A

Came on for Erin Cuthbert

Jessie Fleming N/A

Took Pernille Harder's spot

Johanna Kaneryd N/A

Came on for Lauren James

Alsu Abdullina N/A

The lesser-seen Russian took Guro Reiten's place as Hayes opted to rest her players with the match effectively over

Kadeisha Buchanan N/A

Made her long-awaited return to a warm ovation in the 75th minute of the match. Buchanan had missed Chelsea's last fifth matches after an ankle injury suffered against Aston Villa in April.

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