Man City 0-4 Chelsea: Player ratings as clinical champions pile pressure on City

Chelsea won 4-0 against Manchester City, beating them at the Academy Stadium for the first time in the WSL and closing the gap on leaders Arsenal to just a single point at the top of the table.

It was a clinical and ruthless performance from the reigning champions, who were 2-0 up at half-time despite not creating much in the way of chances in the first half.

Chelsea were gifted their opener little more a minute in when Jessie Fleming intercepted a loose pass from City goalkeeper Karima Taieb on the edge of the penalty area and slotted the ball into an empty net. Sam Kerr later made it two in first-half stoppage time with a close-range finish.

In between, City were the better team. They had more meaningful possession, looked more likely to score and were generally superior. Ann-Katrin Berger made an outstanding one-on-one save to deny Caroline Weir and also stopped a header from Alex Greenwood.

City could, and perhaps should, even have had a penalty when Berger upended Lauren Hemp.

But trailing by two, the hosts were always going to be fighting an uphill battle in the second half and looked increasingly dejected as the game got further away from them.

Fran Kirby got Chelsea’s third when she looped one into the far corner after the Blues had kept the ball alive in the City penalty area. The fourth came from a corner and it was an easy header for Magdalena Eriksson, who got to the ball ahead of the weak Taieb.

The result means that City have lost all three WSL home games so far this season, pushing them into the bottom half of the table and piling the pressure on manager Gareth Taylor.

Here is how each set of players rated...

Man City player ratings

1. Goalkeeper & defenders

Karima Taieb (GK) - 3/10 - Her poor pass gifted Chelsea their early goal. Weak on the fourth as well. Really not great overall either.

Georgia Stanway (RB) - 5/10 - Caught in possession that led to Chelsea's second goal.

Jill Scott (CB) - 5/10 - Filling in at centre-back is proving to be a tough ask.

Alex Greenwood (CB) - 5/10 - Could have scored a header in the first half. Got caught under the ball when Chelsea scored their fourth.

Demi Stokes (LB) - 6/10 - Strong runner on the ball in both directions. Good on the cover in the first half.

2. Midfielders

Filippa Angeldahl (CM) - 6/10 - Plenty of energy and bite in midfield when City were in the ascendancy. Chelsea later controlled the game.

Keira Walsh (CM) - 6/10 - Again, she was controlling things in the first half.

Caroline Weir (CM) - 6/10 - Should have equalised early on when she went through on goal. Classy on the ball as always.

3. Forwards

Jess Park (RW) - 5/10 - Good on the ball in the first half. But not enough impact and faded from the game later on.

Ellen White (ST) - 4/10 - So isolated, even when City did have the better of the game in the first half. This wasn't a team playing to her strengths at all.

Lauren Hemp (LW) - 7/10 - Typically electric on the ball. Probably should have been awarded a penalty at one stage. Even four goals down, she was still trying to make things happen and ask questions.

4. Substitutes

Janine Beckie (RW) - 5/10 - The contest was over when she came on.

Laura Coombs (CM) - 5/10 - Little she could do to change things.

Vicky Losada (CM) - 5/10 - Given more minutes late on.

Hayley Raso (LW) - 6/10 - Replaced Hemp for the closing stages.

Chelsea player ratings

5. Goalkeeper & defenders

Ann-Katrin Berger (GK) - 7/10 - Came out on top in an early one-on-one with Weir. That ultimately proved to be a big moment in the match. Made other saves but could also have given away a penalty. Taken off with an injury late on.

Millie Bright (CB) - 6/10 - Rarely looked in trouble.

Jess Carter (CB) - 6/10 - Turned into a comfortable afternoon in the end. Had a couple of foot races but came out on top.

Magdalena Eriksson (CB) - 7/10 - Plays this role on the left of the three centre-backs so well and was rewarded in the second half with a goal.

6. Midfielders

Erin Cuthbert (RM) - 8/10 - Worked hard up and down her flank and came away with two assists.

Melanie Leupolz (CM) - 7/10 - Showed her class, particularly in the second half when Chelsea were exerting more dominance.

Ji So-yun (CM) - 6/10 - Lofted cross to the far post created the second goal. Tactically sacrificed at half-time.

Guro Reiten (LM) - 7/10 - Kept the ball alive excellently from Ji's cross, cushioning the ball back across the penalty area.

7. Forwards

Jessie Fleming (RF) - 7/10 - Sharp from the first minute to intercept and score the breakthrough goal.

Sam Kerr (ST) - 7/10 - Quiet first half but was on hand to make it 2-0 with a poacher's finish in first-half stoppage time.

Fran Kirby (LF) - 7/10 - Forced a good save from Taieb early in the second half. Like Kerr, she had been unusually quiet up to that point. But then went on to loop in Chelsea's third goal.

8. Substitutes

Sophie Ingle (CM) - 7/10 - Brought on at half-time to provide better defensive protection in midfield.

Bethany England (ST) - 5/10 - Chelsea were in cruise control by the time she came on.

Zecira Musovic (GK) - N/A - Had nothing to do.

Niamh Charles (RB) - 6/10 - Important minutes under her belt.

Drew Spence (CM) - 6/10 - Slotted in well.

For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter and Facebook!