WSL: Kerolin scores a hat-trick as Manchester City beat Chelsea 5-1

Brazilian forward Kerolin scored a stunning hat-trick on Sunday as Manchester City defeated reigning champions Chelsea 5-1 to almost wrest the Women’s Super League title from the grasp of the Londoners, who dominated from start to finish.

With thirteen wins in fourteen league games and eight to play, City are at the top of the table with 39 points. It is eleven points ahead of rival Manchester United and twelve ahead of Chelsea, who have dominated in recent years and won the last six titles in a row.

Brazilian Kerolin scored the opener in the 13th minute before Jamaican international Bunny Shaw doubled his lead in the 36th.

Kerolin, 26, killed the game four minutes after the break by running more than half the pitch and deftly lifting the ball over Hannah Hampton to make it 3-0 as City counter-attacked from a Chelsea corner.

She completed her hat-trick five minutes later, and although ‍Alyssa Thompson pulled one back for Chelsea in the 68th minute, Vivianne Miedema quickly scored again to ‍eliminate hopes of a comeback.

Earlier in the afternoon, Norway international Lisa Naalsund scored twice as Manchester United recorded a 3-1 win over Liverpool to move up to second place in the standings.

In London, Tottenham Hotspur secured a 2–1 away win against West Ham United, finishing the match with 10 players after Drew Spence was sent off late, while London City Lionesses defeated Brighton & Hove Albion by the same scoreline.

There was joy at Goodison Park as Everton defender Martina Fernandez scored twice to bring her side back from a goal down to beat Aston Villa 2-1, taking their first home win of the season.

Published on February 1, 2026