A Macario free-kick saw the Blues go 1-0 up after eight minutes, with the deflected strike her third Women's Super League goal of the season and seventh across all competitions.

It was 2-0 six minutes into the second half thanks to Beever-Jones, who rounded off some lovely play in the final third, before Yuka Momiki pulled a goal back for the Foxes only four minutes later.

But inside the final 10 minutes, substitute Cuthbert rounded off proceedings with an impressive finish to make it 3-1.

Blues take early lead

Bompastor made six changes to her side from Sunday's draw at Brighton & Hove Albion, with Nathalie Bjorn, Niamh Charles, Oriane Jean-Francois, Maika Hamano, Macario, and Mayra Ramirez introduced to the starting XI.

There was also a place for Mia Fishel on the Chelsea bench for the first time since February 2024 after the forward's recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

The first half chance of the game fell to the Blues. Some silky footwork saw Macario move the ball into a strong position for a shot, which was blocked by one of the several Leicester bodies in the box.

A foul on Macario by Ruby Mace then gifted the home side a free-kick 25 yards out from goal. The American forward stepped up for the set-piece and saw her effort sail into the top corner of the net, with it being aided by a Leicester deflection - 1-0 to the Blues.

Janice Cayman looked to respond for the visitors minutes later, but the midfielder's lofted effort from the edge of the area was well held by Blues goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.

At the other end, we had a chance to increase our advantage to two. A nice bit of play from Chelsea culminated in a strike from Ramirez, which dropped just off target.

After a lull in chances, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd did well to knock the ball past her marker down the left flank, before crossing the ball into the box and it was diverted behind for a corner, where Lucy Bronze then went close.

There was soon another long-range strike from Cayman which called Hampton into action, as the shot-stopper gathered it comfortably.

In the closing stages of the first half, Macario almost bagged her brace from another free-kick. Rytting Kaneryd was brought down on the edge of the box and the American once again stepped up, but this time, she saw her effort soar into the side-netting.

Before the half was up, the Foxes looked for an equaliser. A free-kick from the left side was sent into the Chelsea box, eventually finding Cayman at the back post, who fizzed a strike wide.

A goal to the good

The Blues were gifted an opportunity early on after the restart when visiting goalkeeper Janina Leitzig rushed out of her goal to close down an incoming Rytting Kaneryd. Our winger selflessly laid it off to Hamano, who fired her shot over the empty goal.

It was soon 2-0 though and it was the result of lovely link-up play. Hamano found Ramirez inside the box with a superb pass, before the Colombian forward backheeled it to Beever-Jones and she slotted the ball into the back of the net from a couple of yards out.

Only four minutes later, Leicester halved the deficit. The visitors won the ball back high up the pitch before finding Momiki, who sent a chipped strike over the top of Hampton in the Chelsea goal.

The Blues fashioned an opportunity to reclaim our two-goal advantage when a brilliant run from substitute Wieke Kaptein saw the midfielder unleash a strike from the edge of the box, before Ramirez looked to head home the rebound, but both efforts were saved by Leitzig.

Captain Millie Bright showcased excellent vision to send a long ball forward to Rytting Kaneyrd in the final third and she then picked out Hamano, who fired a shot just wide of the far post.

Goalkeeper Hampton was called into action once again to deny Cayman, with the Leicester captain on this occasion firing a high strike from the right side of the box.

Tthen out of nowhere, substitute Cuthbert - who returned from a rib injury - was inches away from giving the Blues a 3-1 lead, but the midfielder saw her powerful strike from distance come back off the crossbar.

But it was to be the Scot who got our third goal and what a strike it was. From outside of the area, the midfielder drilled a rocket into the bottom corner in the final stages of the 90 minutes.

What it means

Bompastor's side now sit eight points clear at the top of the WSL table, with 44 points after 16 games, having played one game more than second-placed Manchester United.

What next

The Blues are back at Kingsmeadow on Sunday in FA Cup action as we host fellow WSL side Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals.

The teams

Chelsea: Hampton; Bronze, Bright, Bjorn (Lawrence 57), Charles; Jean-Francois (Cuthbert 70); Hamano, Macario (Kaptein 57), Beever-Jones, Rytting Kaneryd (Nusken 85); Ramirez
Unused subs: Spencer, Brown, Baltimore, James, Fishel
Scorers: Macario 8, Beever-Jones 51, Cuthbert 86

Leicester City: Leitzig; Nevin, Howard, Thibaud, Ale, Cain (Chossenotte 81), Mace (Takarada 41), O'Brien (Rose 67), Cayman (Tierney 81), Goodwin (Las 67), Momiki
Unused subs: Clark, Sherwood, Swaby, Torres
Scorer: Momiki 55
Booked: Mace 7, O'Brien 44, Nevin 82