Sam Kerr’s stunner sends Chelsea above Manchester United to top the WSL

The last time Chelsea hosted Manchester United in the league, Sam Kerr was the star, scoring two stunning goals as Chelsea came from behind twice to earn a 4-2 win on the final day of last season and take the WSL title ahead of Arsenal.

For this meeting at Kingsmeadow the stage was set: United, the league leaders, in with a chance of moving three points clear of Chelsea; and Chelsea ready to take the pretenders down a peg or two and leapfrog them; and the match was live on BBC Two.

The latter scenario played out and Kerr delivered once more, and once more in style, taking down Lauren James’s beautifully delivered long ball and lifting it over Mary Earps before wheeling away to celebrate with James in the first half of the 1-0 win that put Chelsea three points clear of United.

What was missing, though, for those watching at home – or for anyone wanting to relive the moment later – was the build-up, half-time analysis and passionate commentary that becomes a part of the game’s narrative.

With BBC pundits and commentators joining their colleagues in stepping back from sports programmes after Gary Lineker was penalised for voicing his opinions on the government’s immigration policy, coverage of the showpiece fixture was greatly diminished. Nigel Adderley’s commentary for international broadcast was used on the BBC and at half-time the broadcaster aired highlights of last weekend’s League Cup final.

This had been billed as United’s moment, instead it showed just how far they still have to go to catch Chelsea, their attack as muted by the Blues’ defence as the coverage was muted by the unofficial action of BBC pundits.

Emma Hayes said that “the difference for me is the squad game”. But Marc Skinner fumed at two first-half