Chelsea 3-1 Man Utd: Lauren James treble sees Blues to victory on WSL return

Lauren James' fine hat-trick gave Chelsea a 3-1 victory against Manchester United in an entertaining and closely-fought encounter at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues were playing their first WSL match since Sam Kerr's ACL injury, but the striker's absence seemed to be of little note as James fired home three superb goals against her former side.

Her first two came in the opening 23 minutes - the first a well-worked team goal (5) and the second after a fine ball over the top from January signing Nathalie Bjorn on her first Chelsea start (23).

• Emma Hayes: I've never seen a player like Lauren James
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But Manchester United soon began to work their way into the game and pulled a goal back through Hayley Ladd (43) at the end of the first half.

They had their chances to equalise too, but were undone by another moment of James brilliance. She burst through on goal before slotting past England team-mate Mary Earps for a third time (85), sealing Chelsea's win.

"I've never seen a player like Lauren do the things she does individually," Emma Hayes said of her forward.

"If you get tight to her, she'll roll you. If you drop off of her, next time she makes a move, you think you've got her.

"She's so explosive. She's got a left and a right foot. Often players have got strong sides, but I think she can do it on both feet.

As a result, the Blues have restored their three-point lead at the top of the WSL. Manchester United remain in fourth, but are now seven points off the top three after Man City beat Liverpool 5-1 on Sunday.

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How James shone at Stamford Bridge

Inside five minutes, Chelsea went ahead. It was a brilliantly worked ball with Guro Reiten and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd involved before James slotted home past Earps in a taste of what was to come.

It did not take long for James to find the net again. It was a simple but perfect ball over the top from Bjorn, picking out the England forward's run. From there, it was a sharp finish on the angle again to double the Blues' lead.

But Manchester United soon began to improve going forward, with Hannah Hampton forced into a save as Geyse fired through the area from the right, but the Chelsea stopper leaped to push the ball away. Soon after, she had her hands on the ball again, as Lucia Garcia fired straight into her arms.

Hampton was eventually beaten after a fine move from Manchester United. Geyse all-too-easily rounded Niamh Charles on the right of the area, with Garcia's initial shot blocked by Ashley Lawrence. But Ladd was lurking, poking the ball home to give the visitors a late first-half lifeline.

Both sides had chances to score another in an end-to-end second period. Garcia got in behind and her pass eventually found Ella Toone - who was dispossessed from behind by Buchanan, with no foul given - before Ladd's attempt was smothered away by the onrushing Hampton. Chelsea then had a succession of openings, but Earps needed to be at her best to deny James and Bjorn.

Manchester United then had a penalty appeal turned down as Galton went sprawling inside the area with Lawrence on her tail, but referee Abigail Byrne saw no case to answer. With minimal contact, it was the correct call.

But Manchester United's hard work was undone again by James as she rifled home her hat-trick goal. The ball was headed into her path in the middle of the park and she drove forward. It was almost inevitable that she would net again, slotting past Earps before wheeling away for high fives with fans in the 20,000-strong Stamford Bridge crowd.

Hayes: Our best performance of the season

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes:

"I think one of the things we've been talking about in the background, led by and driven by the players, is what is the Chelsea standard? What does that look like in and out of possession? And I think we showed that today.

"So my initial feeling is when you're in a team around you work on something collectively, as we all know, sometimes it doesn't come out the way you want.

"I thought today was our best performance of the season. It looked like the standards we've set, but also it was brave and that included the selection. I'm proud of them."

Skinner: I am absolutely secure in my job

Man Utd manager Marc Skinner to Sky Sports News:

"If you look at how you perform with the resources we have, I am absolutely secure in what I do and how I do it.

"And I thoroughly, with every sinew in my body, believe in my team, believe in what we can do and believe where we will be.

"Nothing is ever perfect in life and we are inclusive of everybody. My sole focus is on my team and how we get better and continue to be better.

"In the first part of the first half, we were too eager to press Chelsea and allowed them too many spaces.

"That's what Chelsea want - no disrespect - they're a concise team that play through you consistently so we were just chasing them and we needed to get them in.

"We fixed that halfway through the second half and then I felt we were the better team going into the break.

"In the second half, we came out with that same energy, that same commitment. We also agreed at half time that we need to tackle more. The game is fundamentally about the physicality that you have.

"Key things went against us too, I still believe it was a penalty… we need to take the chances in the big games and then it's different.

"We can't sit here and lick our wounds. We know the gap is 10 points, everyone's reminded me, then we've got to play with the energy and commitment that we're ten points behind.

"We've got to see how far we can chase now. You're playing against Chelsea with the depth in squad that they have is enviable for everybody in the league. We need to continue to grow to that level, invest to that level - I know the club are wanting to do that.

"We still have to take moments in games when they come and rely on a little bit of decisions to go for you too."

What's next?

Chelsea's next game is at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday January 24; kick-off 8pm.

The Blues then travel to Brighton in the WSL on Saturday January 27, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 5.30pm.

Live WSL

Manchester United are next in action at rivals Manchester City in the League Cup on Wednesday January 24; kick-off 7pm.

Marc Skinner's side then host Aston Villa in the WSL on Sunday January 28; kick-off 12pm.

Elsewhere in the WSL: Terland sees Brighton to last-gasp win

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Elisabeth Terland struck five minutes into stoppage time as Brighton edged out Bristol City 3-2 in a thriller.

Terland had given the home side a first-half lead at the Broadfield Stadium and, after Abi Harrison had levelled, Katie Robinson restored it from Terland's through-ball 12 minutes after the restart.

Carrie Jones looked to have snatched a point when she made it 2-2 with seven minutes remaining, but Norway international Terland had other ideas and claimed a victory which lifted her side from 10th place into eighth deep into added time.

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