Chelsea comfortably saw off Leicester City, while Arsenal eased past Brighton & Hove Albion during two midweek BWSL fixtures
Chelsea and Arsenal picked up comprehensive victories on Wednesday night as both teams look to finish the Barclays Women’s Super League season in style.
In the slightly earlier kick-off, Chelsea delivered a stylish performance against Leicester City at Kingsmeadow, Emma Hayes’ side picking up a 6-0 victory to move just a point behind league leaders Manchester United.
And shortly afterwards, Arsenal added three points to their name thanks to a 4-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion to keep their slim title chances alive and remain in the hunt for a Champions League place.
Results for Leicester and Brighton would have seen both sides distance themselves from the relegation battle, but both teams still have work to do to officially guarantee survival.
Blues ease to another impressive victory
Chelsea had strengthened their position in the title race with an emphatic 7-0 win over Everton at the weekend, and were similarly dominant tonight.
It took just eight minutes for Guro Reiten to open the scoring with a well-timed flick from Pernille Harder’s cross, before Erin Cuthbert latched onto a loose pass and rounded Foxes ‘keeper Janina Leitzig to make it 2-0 inside 20 minutes.
After her earlier assist, Harder tapped in from close range for 3-0 in the 32nd minute, and the Dane added a fourth just three minutes before half time with a low shot from 20 yards out.
Eleven minutes into the second half the Blues made it 5-0 thanks to Lauren James, the England star seeing her superb effort landing in the very roof of the net.
And Jelena Cankovic added the icing on the cake in the 93rd minute, firing home from the edge of the penalty box.
Victory for Chelsea means that they still have their destiny in their own hands; the Blues will win a fourth straight BWSL title if they win their remaining three matches.
Meanwhile Leicester remain second bottom, but are still two points clear of bottom-of-the-table Reading.
Blackstenius powers Gunners to three points
Arsenal battled their way to a 1-0 win over Leicester in their last match on Friday night, but there was a sense this would be a more comfortable result after they took the lead just six minutes in.
Stina Blackstenius ran onto a perfectly measured pass from Katie McCabe and slotted home, and the Swede made it 2-0 inside ten minutes after capitalising on some sloppy Brighton defending.
In-form Frida Maanum sealed all three points when she headed home in the 39th minute and a maiden BWSL strike from Victoria Pelova made it 4-0 in the 45th minute, the Dutchwoman finding the back of the net despite a tight angle.
Arsenal pressed to find a fifth and Blackstenius nearly had her hattrick when she found herself free in the box, only to be denied by Brighton ‘keeper Megan Walsh.
However their first-half display was enough to comfortably seal all three points and see Arsenal go level with Manchester City on 44 points, moving above the Citizens into third place thanks to a superior goal difference.
The Gunners have a game in hand over Manchester United but sit six points behind them and five behind Chelsea, though with a game in hand over Manchester City they are in a strong position to seal European football.
Brighton would have guaranteed survival with three points, but still have an points advantage ahead of Leicester, Tottenham and Reading ahead of their final two matches of the season.
