Emma Hayes insists Chelsea are fully standing behind Sam Kerr after it was revealed the striker had pleaded not guilty to racially aggravated harassment of a police officer.

The Australia captain was charged with causing a police officer harassment, alarm or distress during an incident in Twickenham, south-west London, on January 30 last year, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Kerr, of Richmond, denied the charge at a plea and trial preparation hearing at Kingston upon Thames Crown Court on Monday.

Blues boss Hayes said: “Sam has our full support. She knows that. It’s a difficult time for her.

“Of course I can’t comment, you know that. I can say I know she’s pleaded not guilty and I don’t want to do anything to jeopardise anything for Sam by speaking about it.

“For that reason, I’m sure you can appreciate that’s all I’m going to say on the matter, but she has our full support, she knows that, it’s really important I get that across. It’s something I really, really, value.

“There’s difficult moments, tough times, and that’s what my role is at this football club, to make sure I look after our people, and I want to make it clear that Sam will be supported by me and everybody else.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said the incident involved an officer who was responding to a complaint about a taxi fare.

Kerr is due to face trial next February, according to reports.

The 30-year-old is two months into a lengthy period on the sidelines after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the Blues’ warm-weather training camp in Morocco.

Four-time defending Women’s Super League champions Chelsea are still on course to be the only English side other than Arsenal’s women in 2006-07 to achieve a quadruple, having secured a place in Thursday night’s Conti Cup semi-final with Manchester City and will play their FA Cup quarter-final at Everton on Sunday.

Leg one of their Champions League quarter-final awaits at the end of the month, while the Blues are also square with City on 37 points at the top of the WSL table, leading the pack only on goal difference.

When the two sides met in league action last month it was City who emerged victorious, smashing Chelsea’s 33-match unbeaten WSL run at Kingsmeadow, breaking open the title chase and setting up a tantalising finish to the league campaign.

Asked if Hayes would be seeking revenge, she said: “This is not Star Wars. This is no Death Star-destroying moment. Revenge for me is something I don’t really think about when it comes to football.

“I love being in these games, I know the team loves being in these situations, so I look forward to it.”

Emma Hayes has been backed to do an “incredible” job as United States women’s team boss by old rival Nick Cushing, who is making his own mark across the pond with New York City FC.

It is four months since it was announced that the 47-year-old would be calling time on her medal-laden time as Chelsea at the end of the season to become a national team manager.

Hayes will be returning to the country where she began her coaching career at the start of the millennium and will likely bump into one of the few managers to have dented her domestic dominance.

Cushing currently coaches Major League Soccer side NYCFC having previous led Manchester City for six years, including beating Chelsea to the 2016 Women’s Super League crown.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by U.S. Soccer WNT (@uswnt)

“She’s incredible about what she does,” he said. “I loved fighting with her – we fought every weekend and every season for those trophies.

“I think she’ll do an incredible job. I think if I was going to hire, I would’ve hired her because she’s the best in the women’s game by far.

“Her record speaks for itself but also her ability to manage, her knowledge of the game.

“I do believe you’ll see her in the men’s game at some point. That’s my opinion. I think she’s capable and I think in time people will see her capability.

“I think she’ll be successful in the US women’s national team and then she will have almost conquered the women’s game.”

Cushing is full of admiration and praise for Hayes, whose outstanding work at Chelsea restricted him to a still impressive haul of six trophies in as many years with City.

They were tussling for the WSL title again before the 39-year-old left during the 2019-20 season to become assistant manager of fellow City Football Group side NYCFC.

They won the MLS Cup the following year and Cushing was promoted to head coach in 2022 following an initial spell as Ronny Deila’s interim replacement.

“If you give me my time again and give me a crystal ball, I would be a football player every time,” the NYCFC boss said. “10 times out of 10.

“But when you don’t get the ability to be a football player and then you invest your time at 19 to becoming a coach, you get to the point where you’re at 39 where you probably should be in the first two years of your coaching.

“But you’ve got nearly 20 years of working at academy level through all ages, then the women’s game.

“I didn’t pick my journey but if I could change anything I probably wouldn’t change much of what I’ve done.”

Cushing wants to kick on in his second full season in charge at NYCFC, who continue the new MLS season at St Louis City having narrowly lost their opener at Charlotte FC.

The 39-year-old says he is driven by a desire to keep up with successful CFG stablemates and clearly wants to take his career as far as he can, having risen through the ranks since joining City as a schools coach in 2007.

“My ambition is to work at the highest level of the game,” Cushing said when asked about the potential of one day managing boyhood club Everton.

“Every time I have gone up, I’ve never felt out of my depth and felt like it was a challenge greater than what I have capable in my character.”

Manchester City defeated Everton 2-1 to climb to the top of the Women’s Super League table.

City picked up where they left off in their first match since defeating Chelsea last month, with goals from Khadija Shaw (15th) and Lauren Hemp (55th) taking them three points clear of Emma Hayes’ side, who play Leicester on Sunday.

It is now 12 victories in a row in all competitions for Gareth Taylor’s City, who were pegged back by a fine strike from Hanna Bennison in the 60th minute but deserved the three points.

City, who have won all 16 of their league games against the Merseyside team, were behind Chelsea only on goals scored at the top of the table heading into the clash at the Joie Stadium. They were well fired up for this game and dominated from beginning to end against Brian Sorensen's team.

City enjoyed the majority of early possession but had a hard time getting time and space in dangerous areas. After a few tame efforts, Everton made it easy for the home team when Justine Vanhaevermaet crumbled under pressure and played a short pass inside the box that went directly to Shaw, who suddenly had an abundance of time and space to smash in the opener.

The goal gave the in-form hosts a massive boost as they looked even more dangerous from then on, with Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp sending dangerous balls into the box that Shaw was unable to connect with. By half-time, 1-0 seemed a low score considering City had 13 shots throughout the first 45 minutes.

Everton, meanwhile, were gifted one chance late in the half when goalkeeper Khiara Keating played the ball straight to Rikke Madsen, but her weak shot was straight back at the youngster.

After Shaw missed a great opportunity by heading over the bar, it was Hemp who doubled City's lead, combining with Coombs in the middle of the pitch before driving forward and sending a long-range effort rolling into the bottom corner.

Everton were not down and out, though, as City suddenly looked flustered at the back and gave the ball away, resulting in Hanna Bennison smashing in a beauty of a goal from outside the box. Both teams pushed on for another goal, but neither could find a way past their opponents' goalkeeper.

Lauren James hopes Chelsea can “achieve good things” in outgoing manager Emma Hayes’ final season in charge of the club.

Hayes announced her decision to step down in November and will become the head coach of the United States Women’s national team at the end of the campaign.

Her departure marks the end of a 12-year reign at Chelsea where she has won six Women’s Super League titles, five FA Cups and two League Cups.

James has worked with Hayes since her arrival at the club in 2021 aged 19 and she has since gone on to impress, recently earning the Barclays Player of the Month award in January after scoring five goals in two games.

“It’s good working with Emma, our relationship is close as everyone can probably imagine,” James told the PA news agency.

“I think highly of her and hopefully we can achieve good things this year together.

“In the moment I was disappointed and it hits you, but that’s the relationship we have. It’s football and people move on, I’ll just have to focus on Chelsea.”

James’ goalscoring feats last month helped Chelsea cement their spot at the summit of the WSL, where they sit three points clear of second-placed Manchester City ahead of a huge top-of-the-table clash on Friday night.

The 22-year-old England forward scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win against former club Manchester United before bagging a brace in the 3-0 victory against Brighton.

James is aiming to continue her form throughout the rest of the season, which sees her in the running for the WSL Golden Boot after scoring 12 goals in as many league games.

She said: “It was a special feeling to receive (the Player of the Month award), I got five goals in two games, so it wasn’t that bad of a month! Hopefully I can just continue that form throughout the season.”

As well as striving for a fifth successive league title, Chelsea remain in the hunt for trophies in three other competitions in a jam-packed schedule next month.

March 3 sees them take on Manchester City in the Continental Tyres League Cup before facing Everton in the FA Cup quarter-finals three days later and they then play Ajax in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Champions League is arguably Chelsea’s more coveted prize and is the one major trophy missing from their impressive collection.

They came close in 2021 after finishing as runners-up following a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in the final and James admits getting far in the competition is the aim.

“I think it would be amazing, it’s something that everyone wants and dreams of,” she said.

“It’s something this club have been working towards for a while now. Hopefully on Emma’s final year we can hopefully get that far.

“I think (the Champions League) is good experience, the games have been a bit quicker because you’re playing against different opponents from different countries with different styles of play.”

Chelsea will play Ajax in the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals, with defending champions Barcelona potential opponents in the semis.

Emma Hayes’ side will play the first leg of the last-eight tie in the Netherlands on March 19 or 20 before hosting the second the following week.

The winner will then over two legs in April face the victors of the quarter-final between Barca – 3-2 winners against Wolfsburg in the 2022-23 final for their second title – and Norwegian outfit Brann.

Chelsea, whose best run in the competition came when they were runners-up in 2021, losing 4-0 to Barca in the final, are aiming for glory in what is the final season of Hayes’ lengthy tenure before she steps down as boss to take charge of the United States national team.

The Blues were unbeaten as they topped Group D, which also featured Hacken, Paris FC and Real Madrid, while Ajax were second in Group C.

The other quarter-finals see record eight-time champions Lyon face Benfica and Paris St Germain take on Hacken.

The final is set to take place at Athletic Bilbao’s San Mames on May 25.

A much-changed Chelsea side eased to victory at Paris FC to end their Women’s Champions League group stage undefeated.

First-half headers from Fran Kirby and Mia Fishel before late efforts from Guro Reiten and Maren Mjelde secured a comfortable 4-0 victory in the French capital for the Blues.

Emma Hayes’ side had already guaranteed themselves a quarter-final spot and she took the opportunity to shuffle her pack.

After an even opening, it was England international Kirby who broke the deadlock with the visitors’ first clear opportunity.

Jelena Cankovic crossed to the back post where Kirby arrived unmarked to head home for her first Champions League goal of the campaign.

The hosts, making their group-stage debut – having knocked Arsenal out earlier in the tournament – responded well as Chelsea goalkeeper Zecira Musovic was forced into a smart save, courtesy of an acute Mathilde Bourdieu.

Paris, though, had not learnt their lesson from Kirby’s opener and were caught out in startlingly-similar fashion later in the half as Cankovic this time crossed for Fishel to head home.

With the hosts needing victory to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last eight, Julie Dufour missed a sitter after the restart, leaning back and firing over the crossbar from close range.

A number of defensive mix-ups allowed Chelsea to wrap up the win as Reiten was the beneficiary, tapping home after miscommunication on the edge of the Paris box.

There was more questionable defending as Mjelde flicked home a corner with goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie poorly positioned.

Chelsea were good value for their win and will be seeded for the quarter-final draw on February 6 – avoiding some of Europe’s big-hitters.

Emma Hayes admitted Chelsea played a boring game against Real Madrid as a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge ensured progression to the Champions League quarter-finals with a game to spare.

In the first half, Chelsea struggled to find a way through against Real, already eliminated after collecting a single point from their four games.

Chances fell to Guro Reiten and Erin Cuthbert, both denied by goalkeeper Mylene Chavas, while Mia Fishel put an effort wide of the near post from close range.

It took a clumsy challenge from Real full-back Kenti Robles, bringing down the lively Niamh Charles as she darted into the box, to earn Chelsea the penalty from which Reiten finally broke the deadlock just past the hour.

Substitute Athenea tapped in to level as Real made Chelsea sweat on qualification, leaving them facing two dropped points and an awkward trip to play Paris FC next week needing a result to seal a last-eight berth.

But Cuthbert, wearing the armband with Millie Bright unlikely to be back this side of the international break, took charge and within a minute had forced the winning goal, her cross bouncing in off Chavas as the goalkeeper’s concentration deserted her.

“We expect to go through, that’s a bare minimum,” said Hayes. “We should expect to go through as group winners. That’s already a sign of progress, that we expect those things.

“I didn’t think it was a scintillating performance, I thought it was a boring game. Not every game is swashbuckling and dynamic. I thought it was flat.

“I think it was understandable. We had an amazing performance at the weekend against Manchester United. Our league is really tough and I think it showed in some of the flat play for us. But we controlled the game without maybe doing enough in the final third.

“I brought Lauren (James) on at half-time, I thought that helped. Got the penalty, concede a sloppy goal from back to front, a poor goal.

“Then a really good response to go 2-1 up, then managed the game somewhat to the end in what was an efficient performance, but it was boring.”

Hayes said she looked forward to rotating her side in what will now be a dead rubber in Paris next week.

“Managing a squad of players is tricky when you’re making multiple changes,” she said. “I didn’t want to change much from the weekend, I think you need to build rhythm.

“For us the priority has got to be experimenting, giving opportunities in one of these two games coming up; Brighton (in the Women’s Super League) and Paris.

“It’s making sure we get Millie Bright back, we get Nat Bjorn registered. Maybe there’s a new player coming at some point (reports say a club record deal has been agreed for Colombia international Mayra Ramirez).

“But we’ve got to get ourselves ready. If we want to progress, we’ve got to get better. I think it was comfortable and measured from us.”

Real boss Alberto Toril reflected on a game that got away from his side despite a spirited performance.

“We played with our strengths, we contained them,” he said. “We restricted them. They’re a great team and we’re happy with the performance, even though we’ve lost. Sometimes you learn from the defeats.”

Chelsea advanced to the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a game to spare after an own-goal from Real Madrid goalkeeper Mylene Chavas handed them a 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge.

Emma Hayes’ side looked to be facing the awkward prospect of requiring a result next week away at Paris FC when Real substitute Athenea del Castillo tapped in on the rebound, reacting quickest after goalkeeper Hannah Hampson had beaten out Hayley Raso’s effort with 20 minutes to play.

A penalty earlier in the second half from Guro Reiten had seemingly put Chelsea en route to the win they required.

But after the visitors had hit back it fell to Erin Cuthbert, wearing the armband with Millie Bright still absent, to lead by example, sending over a cross that bounced in off the unfortunate Real goalkeeper.

Chelsea’s first chance fell to the left foot of Cuthbert, drilled low against the legs of Chavas after Fran Kirby had found her with a deft through ball.

Jess Carter drilled a searching pass to the left flank that was helped on by Niamh Charles, rampaging forward from full-back, into the path of Reiten. She hit an audacious, dipping effort that was just clawed out from underneath the crossbar.

Real threatened through Colombia international Linda Caicedo, tricking her way in behind Kadeisha Buchanan and looking to poke it beyond Hampton from a devilish angle. The goalkeeper, making her Champions League debut, instinctively threw up a strong right hand and beat the ball away.

Reiten set up Cuthbert, who swung and missed her kick with the goal gaping, before the Scotland international and stand-in captain crossed to the near post to present Mia Fishel with seemingly an easy finish, but she could only guide it wide.

Hayes sent on Lauren James, fresh from her weekend hat-trick, at the break as her side searched for the goal that would seal a last-eight berth, whilst the precocious 18-year-old Caicedo, injured during the first half, was withdrawn by Real boss Alberto Toni.

Anything less than a win and qualification for Chelsea would go to the final matchday, a result likely needed away at impressive Champions League debutants Paris, twice conquerors of Real in this season’s competition.

The goal to radically alter that equation arrived just past the hour. Melanie Leupolz’s pass split Real’s defence and ran through to Cuthbert, arch-tormentor of her opposite number Kenti Robles.

The full-back’s challenge was a mess, scything Cuthbert to the ground. From the spot, Reiten put one Chelsea foot in the quarter-finals.

James looked to seal it with a goal all of her own making, cutting in from the right and standing up two defenders before racing beyond them and clipping a shot towards the near post that was brilliantly deflected away by Chavas.

Then all of a sudden, Chelsea switched off. There seemed little on for Real when the ball was pinged up to Raso, high up on the right of the box but with Charles in her path and only Athenea to aim for.

Instead she looked to do it herself, blasting low at goal, her shot beaten out by Hampson but into the path of the substitute who tapped home.

Fortune smiled on Hayes’ team almost at once, their lead restored within a minute when Chavas lost concentration at the critical moment and fumbled Cuthbert’s cross over her own line.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes feels her side are fully prepared to kick off their FA Cup title defence without prolific striker Sam Kerr, who scored the winner in last year’s Wembley final.

The Australia captain on Thursday underwent surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The Women’s Super League-leading Blues first have to find their way past West Ham, who have already been active in the transfer window with the signings of Shelina Zadorsky, Katrina Gorry and Kerr’s fiancee Kristie Mewis, while Chelsea have added defender Nathalie Bjorn from Everton.

Hayes, whose trophy cabinet already includes five FA Cups, said: “I know Sam would expect me to say nothing less. Our focus has got to be on the players that are fit and a good challenge for me is to find those solutions.

“I trust in the squad that we have and we’ve added to that as well.”

The competition’s overall prize pot has been doubled to almost £6million this season, with a minimum £54,000 for fourth-round winners while the losing clubs receive £13,000 – up from £15,000 and £3,750 respectively.

West Ham boss Rehanne Skinner said: “The cup is an incentive in itself but the prize money is a huge incentive, because it’s a significant amount of money when you’re talking about players and making additions.

“Increasing the prize money is really important in helping the growth of the game.”

Fifth-tier Luton are the lowest-ranked team remaining and will face WSL competition for the first time when they host Brighton.

Albion head coach Melissa Phillips said: “The FA Cup is such a special event, the history of the tournament, the magic as they say and what a fantastic match-up we have, a tier-five team and a top-tier team. They’ll certainly be up for the game.”

Phillips’ side were beaten in last year’s semi-final by Manchester United, who take on National League Northern Premier Division leaders Newcastle with over 1,000 Magpies fans preparing to make the trip to Leigh Sports Village.

United boss Marc Skinner confessed last year’s 1-0 loss in the final “feels like yesterday” and vowed his side “want to go one better than we did last year”.

Newcastle striker Katie Barker insisted her side are brimming with confidence, saying: “No matter who we play, we always play a game to win and we’ll do everything we can to win the game.”

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall vowed to take the competition seriously, beginning against Watford. He said: “There’s no excuse for not being able to field your best teams in these competitions.”

Durham’s meeting with Manchester City, selected for broadcast on the BBC, will mark the first time the Championship side have been televised.

Durham midfielder Lauren Briggs told the club website: “It’s something we all dream of, a great opportunity, and we’ve worked really hard for this.”

Bristol City host Liverpool in an all-WSL match-up while Championship Sheffield United travel to Tottenham and tier-three Derby welcome top-flight Leicester.

Sunderland face Southampton, Blackburn make the trip to Crystal Palace, Plymouth face Nottingham Forest and Ipswich meet Charlton.

Tier-three Burnley play Championship leaders Birmingham, Reading take on Wolves and London City Lionesses play Moneyfields.

Emma Hayes has refused to speculate over the future of injured striker Sam Kerr, whose Chelsea contract expires this summer.

Kerr underwent surgery on Thursday on an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered during what boss Hayes described as an “innocuous” turning and shooting exercise during the Blues’ warm-weather training in Morocco.

The lengthy recovery process all but guarantees the Australia captain will miss the remainder of both the Women’s Super League and Champions League campaigns, the latter Hayes’ last chance to win that elusive trophy before she parts ways with Chelsea to begin her new role as head coach of the United States women’s national team.

Asked about Kerr’s contract and concerns the forward might have played her final game for Chelsea, Hayes said: “With the announcement (of Kerr’s injury) the focus for Sam right now is on rehab.

“I’m sure when the time is right to discuss her future that will come from Sam and the club, but Sam loves Chelsea and Chelsea loves Sam, so I think that’s the most important thing to say on that front.”

England and Chelsea midfielder Fran Kirby, 30, is also out of contract this summer and earlier this week claimed in an interview with the BBC that there had been no conversations with the club about her future.

Kirby – who has experienced a number of setbacks of her own, including the knee issue that ruled her out of last summer’s World Cup and a spell out with pericarditis – expressed hope that she could continue playing top-flight football after her current deal expires.

Hayes said: “I think when it comes to Fran, it’s not unusual for players to go into the last six months of their contract. Fran knows that our goal with her is to keep her on the pitch for 100 per cent of the season, not less than 50 per cent.

“She understands that and sometimes she is a bit impatient. She wants to do everything at once but we know what a talent she is, we know what we can expect from Fran, and I’m sure, again, when the club and the player and all of the people involved with that have something to announce on that front, they will.

“But I don’t think anybody should be too panicked just because of the timelines. We have worked over 11 years to put in place a structure to make sure we’re always planning and preparing, and I think Chelsea and its future are still in a very, very good place.”

Meanwhile, there was good news about Catarina Macario, the 24-year-old USA forward who signed with the Blues in July but has yet to make an appearance for Chelsea as she endured her own prolonged recovery from an ACL injury.

Macario took a “progressive” part in the team’s sessions in Morocco and Hayes added: “I think this first part over the next couple of weeks will be the reintroduction and I think Chelsea fans can expect to see her quite soon.”

Chelsea’s Sam Kerr has sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury during the club’s warm weather training in Morocco.

The Blues and Australia striker will begin rehabilitation with the club’s medical team and is likely to be out for an extended period.

Kerr’s injury is a big loss to Emma Hayes’ side who are looking to win their fourth successive Women’s Super League title.

The Matildas captain has scored four goals in eight games for the Blues in the WSL this season and she has dominated in the Champions League, scoring five goals in four.

The Women's Super League and Chelsea Women will be beneficiaries of the legacy Emma Hayes leaves behind when she heads for a new challenge in the United States.

That was the message from Chloe Kelly, Nikita Parris and Rachel Brown-Finnis as the trio looked ahead to Chelsea boss Hayes leaving Stamford Bridge for the USA Women's head coach role.

Hayes is regarded by many in women's football as one of the most influential people in the game and has been in charge of the London club since 2012.

Hayes' departure date is confirmed for May, when she travels to the USA to take over after their underwhelming 2023 Women's World Cup campaign, and Kelly was quick to credit the Chelsea boss for her work with the Blues.

Speaking at the launch of the first ever Panini Barclays Women's Super League sticker collection at the National Football Museum, Kelly said: "I think throughout the years she's been so consistent at Chelsea and playing great football, I think it's exciting for her.

"It's a new chapter of her career and I wish her all the best in that, but of course it's a loss to the WSL, it's the top manager that we're losing, but hopefully she goes and achieves great things.

Hayes has led Chelsea to six WSL titles, five Women’s FA Cups, two Continental Cups, the Spring Series, a Community Shield victory and a Champions League final.

Parris echoed England team-mate Kelly's sentiments, adding: "She has proven over many years how much of a fantastic coach she is and she will be a massive loss to the league.

"Chelsea winning the WSL back to back to back, that's some feat and she deserves all the credit that she gets.

"I wish her all the best in the future, especially when she's not playing against England but I wish her the best for the US."

Hayes' new role will make her the world's highest‑paid female coach, although there will be heavy expectations placed upon her when she crosses the Atlantic.

Hayes' first major tournament as USA boss will be the Olympics next year in Paris, with Twila Kilgore acting as interim head coach until May, becoming her assistant when she arrives.

Brown-Finnis believes the legacy Hayes will leave in the WSL and at Chelsea will be clear for all to see, saying women's football will benefit from her influence going forward.

"Emma Hayes is arguably, in the 12 years she's been at Chelsea, the biggest proprietor of change," Brown-Finnis said at the same event as Parris and Kelly.

"That's in her coaching methods, in the success that she's bred, the infrastructure that she's implemented at the club, the conversations that she's had with the hierarchy at Chelsea.

"She has made demands to ensure that change happens from a resources point of view, in the way that people think about women's football at the club and beyond.

"They are now the blueprint that other WSL clubs, not just WSL clubs, but domestic clubs all around the world are looking at... how they conduct themselves, how they interact, how they work as one body and that for me has been the biggest and most solid change.

"In years gone by, a club's gone down from the Premier League and the first thing to have been axed has been the women's club. That is history, thankfully.

"Emma Hayes has been and still is moving things forward, happy to stand toe-to-toe in arguments and debates around football, a subject that she knows as well as any professional coach in the game, male or female, and she's a wonderful ambassador and a wonderful pioneer.

"She'll be a big loss to the Women's Super League, but I hope eventually she'll be back in England, possibly leading England to World Cup glory."

Erin Cuthbert’s second-half brace helped Chelsea take control of Group D in the Champions League with a 3-1 win at Hacken.

The two teams had played out a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge last week, which left the Swedish outfit top after three matches, but Emma Hayes’ side were able to finish 2023 with a crucial victory.

Sam Kerr broke the deadlock with her ninth goal of the campaign and, while Clarissa Larisey scored for Hacken to ensure it was 1-1 at half-time, Cuthbert netted twice in the space of 12 minutes after the break.

It ensured the Women’s Super League champions moved into top spot of the group after four matches and hold a one-point advantage over Hacken while Real Madrid, who they will host on January 24, are no longer able to qualify for the knockout stage following a 1-0 loss to third-placed Paris.

Hayes had warned her players there were no excuses despite this being their fourth match in 10 days but they nearly conceded early on at Bravida Arena.

Only four minutes were on the clock when Anna Anvegard hit the crossbar after Larisey’s cross, but Chelsea regrouped and a Lauren James curled effort signalled their intentions.

While Hacken goalkeeper Jennifer Falk was equal to James’ 20-yard strike, she had no answer to the prolific Kerr minutes later.

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd was the architect of the opener after she outmuscled Elma Junttila-Nelhage on the right before she cut back for Kerr, who fired into the roof of the net from close range in the 14th-minute.

It was a much-needed opener for the WSL champions, but they were caught out with 26 minutes on the clock by a slick counter-attack.

Jusu Bah showed great speed out wide and crossed in from the left where Larisey powered home a header.

Chelsea could have retaken the lead before half-time, but Falk pushed wide a firm strike by Sophie Ingle.

It was a different story after the break with Anvegard firing against the woodwork again for the hosts after linking up with Larisey, which proved a crucial moment in the group fixture.

Minutes later and Hayes’ team were back in front when Rytting Kaneryd’s cross was cleared to Ingle, who showed her composure to pick out Cuthbert and the Scotland international rifled into the bottom corner to make it 2-1 after 52 minutes.

It was Cuthbert’s first goal in this season’s Champions League but she doubled her tally again with 64 minutes played.

Kerr’s smart pass sent Cuthbert away and after she fooled Filippa Curmark with a fake shot, the midfielder’s low effort was too powerful for Falk.

Hacken pushed for a response and substitute Molly Johansson found the net in stoppage-time, but it was ruled out for offside and Chelsea earned a crucial three points.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes believes her side need to use their Women’s Champions League experience to get a result in their Group D clash at BK Hacken.

The Blues will go to the top of the group if they can beat the Swedish team on Wednesday night.

They were held to a goalless draw by the same opposition at Stamford Bridge last week but will have to face a lively atmosphere in the reverse fixture.

“Every game is a must-win game for us,” Hayes said on the club’s official website. “That is our mentality. We were disappointed with our performance last week. We worked on that, trained really well, played well at the weekend. This place will be rocking tomorrow night. This is going to be a difficult place to play.

“We are playing an opponent who are very confident in what they’re doing. They’ve had an amazing year, especially in the Champions League, and we have to deal with all of those challenges. But we have to be ready to perform.

“We’re experienced in Europe. We understand it’s a different surface, a little bit colder than London, a different type of opponent.

“I think it’ll be a much different game than Stamford Bridge, particularly because of the crowd. We have experience and it’s important for us to use it.

“The message I’ll give to the players is we have been in this competition long enough, we’ve gone deep in this competition and while it hasn’t been perfect in the group stages, we have a dressing room that is capable of winning.”

Chelsea do have some injury problems for the game in Scandinavia.

“Melanie (Leupolz) hasn’t recovered, she’s had a setback,” explained the Chelsea manager. “She tried to come in on Monday, but she is not well.

“Maren (Mjelde) has made it back with the squad so she is part of that. Kadeisha (Buchanan) had an issue with a back spasm at the weekend and she’s back in the squad.

“Jelena (Cankovic) is still out with her calf and obviously, the long-term one is Catarina (Macario). Ann-Katrin (Berger) is back; she had a slight ankle knock.”

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes is expecting a tough test as her side travel to Bristol City in the Women’s Super League on Sunday.

Hayes’ team go into the fixture on the back of a crushing 4-1 defeat by Arsenal last weekend which saw their unbeaten streak in the league come to an end and they will be looking to set the record straight after they also failed to beat Hacken in the Women’s Champions League in midweek.

Bristol City sit 11th in the table and have only won one of their opening nine games but Hayes is not underestimating Sunday’s opponents.

She told Chelsea’s website: “Bristol are going to play five at the back and we’ll have the same sort of challenges (as against Hacken).

“But if we can find a blue shirt, can put the ball into the right areas in the right moments, I’m sure we’ll be fine.

“She (City boss Lauren Smith) will make it difficult for us. You see their result against Arsenal, they’re actually eighth in the league in terms of xG conceded. So they don’t give up as many clear-cut chances as you may think.”

Midfielder Melanie Leupolz and defender Ashley Lawrence are expected to return to training ahead of the fixture and young Japanese forward Maika Hamano could also make an appearance.

Robins boss Lauren Smith is looking forward to another tough test and thinks her side are adapting to different challenges in the league.

She said: “As time has gone on, the performances have lifted and we’ve started to now show we can adapt to teams and that was pleasing to see at Liverpool on the weekend that we changed our shape and press and caused them problems.”

Manchester United will be looking to extend their winning run to five games in all competitions when they play Liverpool and boss Marc Skinner is pleased with what he has seen from his squad heading into the last game of 2023.

He said: “Barring the Manchester City performance, we have been excellent, considering four or five of my players joined us in the last week of the transfer window.

“They have grown together, they continue to grow together and it will be an exciting second half of the season, I can assure you that.”

Liverpool could go level on points with United with a victory on Sunday and striker Leanne Kiernan is setting her sights on competing with the teams at the top of the table.

She told Liverpool’s website: “We want to compete and we are not here just to sit in mid-table. We want to compete with the big teams and we know that on our day we are good enough to compete with the big teams, so we are really looking forward to it.”

Manchester City will be aiming to make it four successive league wins with victory over Everton at Walton Hall Park.

But the Toffees have also enjoyed an upturn in form recently and come into the game unbeaten in three league matches themselves and could move into sixth with a win.

Two out-of-form sides meet at the King Power Stadium when West Ham meet Leicester. Both teams are without a win in their last seven matches and will see the game as an opportunity to break their winless streaks.

Aston Villa host Brighton at the Bescot Stadium as the sides sit 10th and ninth respectively and both teams will be looking for a result to put some breathing space between themselves and the relegation zone.