A double from Sam Kerr and goals from Fran Kirby and Bethany England secured a much-deserved three points for Emma Hayes’s side.

Kirby, making her first start of the season, got the Blues up and running with a superb curling strike on 25 minutes before Kerr capitalised on a defensive mishap to add a second just after the half-time break.

Kerr got her second of the afternoon with a thumping header and substitute England added a fourth late on to complete a fine performance from the Blues.

Chelsea made three changes to the side that started our opening fixture against Arsenal last weekend, with Sophie Ingle, Kirby and Kerr all coming into the starting XI to face the Toffees.

Jess Carter, Millie Bright and skipper Magda Eriksson lined up as a back three ahead of goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger.

Erin Cuthbert netted and provided an assist in last weekend’s clash with Arsenal, and the Scot was named in the Blues midfield alongside Ingle, Ji So-Yun and Guro Reiten.

Kerr and Kirby made their first starts of the season and they lined up in attack for Chelsea, alongside Pernille Harder, who also got off the mark against Arsenal last Sunday.

Emma Hayes named nine players on the bench including new signing Aniek Nouwen and youngster Jorja Fox.

Chelsea certainly started the brighter at Kingsmeadow and there was a real intent and intensity to our play within the opening stages.

Within the first 10 minutes, Kirby flashed a low effort wide, Eriksson headed a Cuthbert corner just over the bar and Everton goalkeeper Sandy MacIver denied Kerr from close range.

The Blues continued to put pressure on our opponents, with Ingle and Ji pulling the strings in midfield and it was the latter who was involved when Chelsea took a much-deserved lead on 25 minutes.

The South Korean threaded a ball through to Kirby and our number 14 cut back inside Everton’s Nathalie Bjorn before she quite brilliantly curled the ball into top corner.

Harder, who had been very lively throughout the first half, could have added to Chelsea’s lead just after the half-hour mark but her low drive went agonisingly wide of the far post.

The Denmark captain had another opportunity moments later, but the forward sliced her effort and that was the same for Ji who had a sight at goal just before the break but again, the midfielder didn’t manage to get the right connection on her strike.

Such was our dominance in the first half, the only disappointment for Blues boss Hayes would be that her side were not further ahead at the interval.

Chelsea did extend our lead two minutes into the second half and Kerr may never score an easier goal.

The Australian intercepted a wayward pass from the Everton defender Megan Finnigan to her goalkeeper and our number 20 slotted the ball into an empty net to give her side a two-goal cushion.

It could have been three just after the hour mark as Harder poked an effort towards goal from close range, but Everton goalkeeper MacIver saved well to deny Harder a goal her performance certainly warranted.

Kerr got her second and Chelsea’s third with less than 20 minutes remaining as the Australian headed home an inch-perfect cross from Reiten.

Goalscorers Kirby and Kerr were both withdrawn as England and Jessie Fleming replaced the duo and it was a matter of minutes before England was on the scoresheet, albeit with a slice of luck.

Cuthbert smashed an effort against the crossbar and the rebound bounced off England into the back of the net to make it four and cap off a fine display in front of our supporters.

A host of Blues will now join up with their national squads and on their return from the international break, Hayes’s side face a trip up north to take on Manchester United.

Chelsea (3-4-3) Berger; Bright (Nouwen 86), Carter, Eriksson (C); Cuthbert, Ingle, Ji (Spence 86), Reiten (Andersson 86); Kirby (Fleming 77), Kerr (England 77), Harder

Unused subs Musovic, Leupolz, Charles, Fox

Scorers Kirby 25 Kerr 47, 74 England 79

Booked Ingle 75

Everton (3-4-3) MacIver; Bjorn, Finnigan, George; Turner, Galli (Duggan 58), Christiansen, Sorensen (Sevecke 80); Bennison (Dali 80), Anvegard, Emslie (Gauvin 71)

Unused subs Brosnan, Clinton, Pattinson

Referee Amy Fearn

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