Chelsea close on WSL title after Charles and Harder spark rout of West Ham

Chelsea moved a step closer to a third successive Women’s Super League title with a dominant 4-0 defeat of West Ham moving them two points clear of Manchester United at the top of the table.

Emma Hayes had been dismissive of any fatigue as a result of Sunday’s FA Cup final defeat of Manchester United but she made seven changes to the team, with goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, defenders Eve Perisset and Maren Mjelde, midfielders Melanie Leupolz and Erin Cuthbert and forwards Lauren James and Guro Reiten all rested.

For West Ham, who had gone nine games without a win prior to this, there were three changes to the side that suffered defeat to Brighton, with Anouk Denton, Izzy Atkinson and Emma Snerle dropping to the bench in favour of Amber Tysiak, Risa Shimizu and Kirsty Smith.

Chelsea were dominant from the off and could have had a penalty within the opening two minutes after Hawa Cissoko appeared to commit a handball offence, but the referee waved away appeals.

It took 13 minutes for the Blues to make the breakthrough, with Sam Kerr’s shot blocked and Niamh Charles firing the loose ball beyond Mackenzie Arnold. It was a business-like performance from Chelsea, with the more serious test awaiting them at Kingsmeadow on Sunday, where a win against Arsenal will be enough to ensure a third successive league and FA Cup double should Manchester United not beat Manchester City in the late kick-off on the same day.

The difference maker on Sunday, Pernille Harder, who came off the bench to set up Kerr’s winner, forced a fine low save from Arnold as Chelsea sought a second, meeting Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s cross after she had been fed by a driving run from the halfway like by Kerr.

Hayes’s side would have to wait until after the