Aston Villa Women 0-4 Chelsea Women: Blues set WSL record of 32 games unbeaten

Chelsea set a new Women’s Super League record of 32 games unbeaten with a victory at Aston Villa that sent them back to the top of the table.

Sam Kerr crashed an early opener into the top corner before Beth England headed in Kerr’s pinpoint cross.

Pernille Harder then drove a low shot into the bottom corner and Magdalena Eriksson slotted a fourth.

Hayes, who has won the WSL three times as Chelsea boss, described the new record as “a moment to recognise how lucky our club is to have such a wonderful team full of amazing humans”.

“Together we have made some special memories,” she added after her side’s eighth straight win.

Chelsea, who last tasted defeat at Birmingham City in January 2019, have moved above Manchester United on goal difference with a game in hand.

In stark contrast it proved a tough first game in charge of Villa for interim manager Marcus Bignot, with England’s curling shot also clipping the bar in between the two first-half goals as the visitors dominated possession.

Villa are winless at home this season in their first WSL campaign, but defended resolutely to keep the reigning champions at bay until their resistance was broken as Harder’s first away goal for Chelsea sparked a quickfire double.

‘The best Chelsea team I’ve ever had’

Since Ellen White’s stoppage-time goal gave Birmingham a dramatic 3-2 win at Kingsmeadow exactly two years ago, Hayes’ squad of international stars has been relentless.

They have chalked up 25 wins in that incredible 32-match unbeaten streak, a record which earned them a third league title in a truncated 2019-20 season and has put them in pole position to defend their crown.

They have defeated both of their Manchester title rivals this season and reached the halfway point of the season by dropping just four points from 11 matches to sit top.

“This team will go down in history, I’m certain of it,” Hayes told Chelsea TV. “I know when you’re winning a lot there’s just this expectation you’re going to keep doing it, but this is the best Chelsea team I’ve ever had.”