Following only the second defeat of the season in the most recent WSL game, a week ago away at Manchester City, the strength of the Blues squad helped steady the domestic campaign ship in convincing style.

Jelena Cankovic, one of five players brought in by Emma Hayes as she rotated her selection, scored her third goal of the season, added to by Guro Reiten’s eighth to give the Blues a 2-0 half-time lead.

It could have been three before the break had Sam Kerr’s strike against the bar been a fraction lower but the star striker would not be denied. She netted early in the second half for her 50th Women’s Super League goal.

Against a Villa side that had been in very good form, seven unbeaten before today with four wins in a row, this was a very accomplished display, especially after the draining nature of the Champions League progress that proceeded it.

With Arsenal’s win over Manchester City earlier in the day, Chelsea move into second place in the table, two points ahead of the Gunners and one behind Manchester United, who have played a game more.

The selection

The changes that refreshed the starting line-up included in goal where Zecira Musovic came in for Thursday night’s penalty-saving hero Ann-Katrin Berger. Also drafted in were Sophie Ingle, Jessie Fleming, Jelena Cankovic and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.

Melanie Leupolz was not involved after her nasty facial injury against Lyon and Millie Bright remained unavailable, as did longer-term injured Fran Kirby, Pernille Harder and Katerina Svitkova.

Comfortable first 45

After the rigours and adrenalin of the 120-plus minutes followed by the penalty shoot-out in the Champions League just three days earlier, it was intriguing to see how the players would respond.

Chelsea Women had not lost consecutive games in the WSL since July 2015 and there was almost a brisk start for the Blues when Villa keeper Hannah Hampton could not hold a Reiten cross. Kerr was on hand but the loose ball squirmed away from her feet.

Thirteen minutes in, Hampton did well to save a first-time Reiten shot from close range.

Chelsea had been looking the more dangerous side but on 19 minutes it was Musovic called upon to make a save when Rachel Daly flicked a low cross goalwards. The Swede got down well to flick the ball wide at the foot of the near post.

At the midway point of the first half, the Blues took the lead.

Villa failed to clear a free-kick fully, Reiten returned the ball to the far post where Niamh Charles headed it back into the goalmouth. Magda Eriksson challenged and the ball broke to Cankovic to rifle it home from a few yards out.

Hampton blocked from Rytting Kaneryd and then caught a Kerr header to prevent a rapid Chelsea second goal.

The home side were struggling to muster a decent chance since going behind; in contrast to the Blues who saw Reiten blaze over the crossbar and then Kerr strike that piece of woodwork after Villa had lost possession.

The lead was doubled shortly before half-time when Reiten nicked possession from an under-hit Daly pass and advanced before exchanging passes with Cankovic on the edge of the area. The Norwegian’s strike was low and powerful.

2-0. It had been a good first half.

Striker strikes milestone

Villa did have a sniff of goal not long after the restart but Jess Carter blocked Kenza Dali’s shot.

However any chance of a home-team recovery was soon put to bed when Kerr scored Chelsea’s third. Like the first goal, it originated from a Reiten free-kick. Charles headed it on before Kerr took possession.

Our centre-forward cut in from the left on her right foot and toed the ball up into the far side of the net. The job was all but done.

Sophie Ingle had chance of a fourth goal but she shot over from a Kerr pull-back.

With quarter-of-an-hour to go, Daly missed the chance of a Villa consolation when she shot wide and Musovic had to earn her clean sheet with a very good save from Jordan Nobbs late on.

With this win, Chelsea have maintained our 100 per cent record over Aston Villa in the WSL, winning all six of our meetings.

What's next?

There is now a two-week pause in the busy club schedule while players depart on international duty. Then it is a return to play Aston Villa away again - this time in the FA Cup semi-finals. That one is a 2.15pm kick-off on Sunday 16 April.

Chelsea Musovic; Carter, Buchanan, Eriksson (c), Charles; Rytting Kaneryd, Fleming, Ingle, Reiten (Perisset 81); Cankovic, Kerr (Abdullina 81).

Unused subs Berger, Mjelde, James, Cuthbert.

Scorers Cankovic 22, Reiten 43, Kerr 56

Booked Buchanan 90+4

Aston Villa Hampton; Staniforth, Patten, Turner (c), Pacheco; Dali, Blindkilde, Nobbs; Lehmann (Littlejohn 68), Daly, Hanson (Gregory 76).

Unused subs Leat, Rabjohn, Shaw, Keitley, Boye-Hlorkah.

Referee Louise Saunders