Lauren James got the Blues off to a flying start with an emphatic solo effort from distance inside the opening 20 minutes. Erin Cuthbert doubled our advantage with a beautifully struck volley just after the half-hour mark, which gave us a welcome two-goal cushion going into half-time.

Sam Kerr added a third when she headed home a delightful cross from Guro Reiten just before the hour mark. And despite a late sending off for Niamh Charles following a second yellow card, Chelsea saw out the victory with a dominant display on the road, leaving the Blues top of the Women's Super League by three important points at the end of the calendar year.

Stunning strikes

Emma Hayes made four changes to the side which began the midweek stalemate against BK Hacken. Hannah Hampton made her Chelsea debut between the posts with Ashley Lawrence, Sjoeke Nusken and James coming in from the start. Maika Hamano was among the substitutes for the very first time, while Sophie Ingle made her 200th appearance for the Blues against one of her former clubs.

Bristol City got the game underway but it was the Blues who were swiftly in the ascendency, winning a couple of early corners after some promising attacking play down the right-hand side. We dominated possession in the opening exchanges, but almost ran ourselves into trouble when a wayward pass fell for Abi Harrison who was denied by the retreating Jess Carter.

It was largely one-way traffic during the opening quarter of an hour and we made our dominance count when James opened the scoring on 16 minutes. With a touch of brilliance, she turned her marker before advancing towards the penalty area and unleashing an unstoppable left-footed effort into the top corner to set us on our way.

Another goal before the break would work wonders for our confidence going into the second half, and it arrived courtesy of Cuthbert on 33 minutes. An eye-catching, free flowing attacking move down the left saw Reiten stand up a teasing cross for Cuthbert. She watched the ball all the way, letting it drop before hitting a sumptuous volley into the bottom corner to double our advantage.

We probed for a third goal ahead of the interval and came close when captain Kerr was denied one-v-one by an outstretched Olivia Clark in the Bristol City goal. At the other end, Hampton was called into action for the first time and produced a brilliant one-v-one save of her own to protect our two-goal lead going into the break.

Finishing the job

It was a relatively calm start to the second half with the Blues continuing to manipulate the ball in search of a third goal that would surely secure the victory. Ingle made a brilliant recovery challenge on her 200th appearance for the club, which prevented the hosts from hauling themselves back into the contest.

A third goal almost arrived on 55 minutes with a series of chances falling our way in quick succession. Fran Kirby and Reiten were both denied by brilliant pieces of individual defending, before James watched as an audacious curling strike came crashing back off the crossbar. It seemed only a matter of time before our efforts would pay dividends.

Moments later, our persistence was rewarded when we managed to conjure a third just shy of the hour mark courtesy of some trademark link-up play between Reiten and Kerr. The former chipped an inviting cross into the penalty area for the skipper, who adjusted her body before expertly guiding a header beyond Clark which put us firmly in the driving seat.

A double change on 65 minutes saw Aggie Beever-Jones and Mia Fishel replace Reiten and Kerr for the final 25 minutes. Kirby and James were next to make way for Jessie Fleming and Maika Hamano, the latter becoming the second Blues player to be handed their debut this afternoon, before Eve Perisset was introduced in place of Lawrence.

There were eight minutes of stoppage time following a minor injury to shot-stopper Clark as Beever-Jones went close to making it four, inadvertently colliding with the goalkeeper during her efforts to make it four. And although Charles received her marching orders following a second bookable offence, it was a dominant display at Ashton Gate to conclude an impressive 2023 in the WSL.

What it means

Three points against Bristol City means the Blues will go into the winter break at the top of the WSL table with a three-point advantage over Manchester City in second.

What’s next?

Our final competitive fixture of the year sees us return to UEFA Women’s Champions League action this Wednesday 20 December, where we will take on BK Hacken on matchday four at the Bravida Arena in Gothenburg.

Kick-off is scheduled for 8.00pm (UK time) and DAZN will be broadcasting the game live, while those in the UK can watch via TNT Sports. The match will also be available on the DAZN Women’s Football YouTube channel, the Official Chelsea App and on the club website.

The teams

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Hampton; Lawrence (Perisset 78), Nusken, Carter, Charles; Ingle, Cuthbert; James (Hamano 73), Kirby (Fleming 73), Reiten (Beever-Jones 65); Kerr (c) (Fishel 65).

Unused Subs: Musovic, Rytting Kaneryd, Brown.

Scorers: James (16), Cuthbert (33), Kerr (58).

Booked: Charles (24 & 90+4)

Bristol City (5-4-1): Clark (Haaland 89); Powell (Ward 65), Layzell, Connolly (c), Mustaki, Napier; Morgan (Woolley 87), Rodgers, Jones, Thestrup (Hayles 88); Harrison (Syme 70).

Unused Subs: Struck, Bull, Teisar, Kendell.

Referee: Amy Rayner