Kerolin Hat Trick Powers Manchester City Past Chelsea In WSL Rout

Manchester City delivered a statement performance at the Etihad Stadium on February 1, 2026, crushing Chelsea 5-1 in a match that may well signal a changing of the guard in the Women’s Super League. With this emphatic victory, City not only extended their lead at the top of the table but also left Chelsea, the six-time reigning champions, languishing in third place and 12 points adrift of the summit with just eight rounds left to play.

Coming into the clash, the stakes couldn’t have been higher. Manchester City held a rare nine-point advantage over Chelsea, and the reigning champions desperately needed a result to keep their fading title hopes alive. But City, buoyed by an electric home crowd, seized control early and never looked back. The opening goal set the tone: after a corner was only half-cleared, Kerolin pounced, her deflected shot nestling in the back of the net to put City ahead after just 13 minutes.

It didn’t take long for the hosts to double their advantage. Khadija Shaw, showing both strength and composure, shrugged off Chelsea defender Naomi Girma before slotting home City’s second goal before the break. The Londoners were left reeling, their defense looking increasingly vulnerable against City’s relentless attacks. Chelsea did have their moments, with Keira Walsh and Erin Cuthbert testing City’s defense with powerful efforts from the edge of the box, and Wieke Kaptein seeing a goal ruled out for a marginal offside. But the momentum was firmly with Manchester City.

After halftime, City’s dominance only grew. Kerolin provided the game’s most dazzling moment, embarking on a lung-busting run from her own half, outpacing Keira Walsh, and expertly chipping Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton to make it 3-0. The Etihad erupted—this was the kind of magic fans had come to see. Just minutes later, Kerolin completed her hat-trick with a simple tap-in, sending the home supporters into raptures and effectively putting the game to bed.

City weren’t done. Vivianne Miedema added a fifth goal with a deft header, further underlining the gulf between the two sides on the day. Chelsea managed a consolation through Alyssa Thompson, but it did little to mask what was a humbling afternoon for the visitors. For City, the final whistle confirmed an 11-point lead over second-placed Manchester United and a stunning 12-point gap over Chelsea, who now sit third in the league.

The result is seismic for the Women’s Super League. Chelsea, who have won every top-flight title since the 2019-20 season, now face the prospect of relinquishing their crown. The defeat marked the first time since July 2015 that Chelsea have lost back-to-back WSL games, and it was also the first occasion Sonia Bompastor, Chelsea’s head coach, has suffered consecutive defeats in her managerial career. The air of invincibility that surrounded Chelsea after their 34-game unbeaten run and domestic treble last season has been well and truly punctured.

Manchester City’s manager, Andrée Jeglertz, was understandably delighted with his team’s performance. Reflecting on the match, he said, “We played with a confidence that is not rare in football but we are a team that is so determined. We attack on the transition and we own their half and control the game. We had so many layers but we did everything with determination. That’s the crucial thing.” But Jeglertz was quick to play down any talk of the title being secured, adding, “We haven’t won the league. I will never say that until it’s done. Just playing that kind of game, the result is a fantastic win. We are getting players onto the field today and keeping the standard high and that is very important for the rest of the season.”

Kerolin, the undisputed star of the show with her hat-trick, was humble in the aftermath. Speaking to BBC Sport, she said, “It’s hard to describe how it feels. At the moment, the team is enjoying it. We know what we want. At the end of the day, you keep doing what you are doing. We just need to make sure we do our job. It’s hard to talk about myself. I’m enjoying the moment with the team. Without the team I can’t do anything. If we’re in this position right now, it’s because of the team. I’m really happy to help. It’s very nice to score a hat-trick against Chelsea but we need to keep going and look forward.”

For Chelsea, the mood was somber. Head coach Sonia Bompastor didn’t mince her words: “There are a lot of things to say about the performance. Really disappointed. We were not efficient at all on the pitch. We made too many mistakes and when you play against a team like Manchester City, you just get punished. We are in a tough moment. It’s tough for everyone - for players, for staff. We are not going to shy away from that. We need to find solutions. I need to find solutions as the manager. We have quality in this squad to be confident. We still have lot of competitions to play in. We are in the final of the League Cup. We need to take the learnings from this. It’s tough but we need to stay together in this moment to bounce back and achieve better results.”

The statistics paint a stark picture for Chelsea. Not only have they lost consecutive league games for the first time in more than a decade, but they also find themselves further from the top than at any point since the end of the 2018-19 season. The defeat has sparked questions about the squad’s direction and resilience, especially after such a sustained period of dominance.

Manchester City, meanwhile, are riding a wave of momentum. Their blend of flair, ruthlessness, and depth has them firmly in control of the title race. With Arsenal up next on February 8, City know that nothing is won yet, but it would take a monumental collapse for them to let this slip. Chelsea, for their part, will need to regroup quickly as they prepare to face Tottenham on the same day, with their focus likely shifting to the Champions League and domestic cups.

As the Etihad crowd celebrated and City’s players embraced on the pitch, there was a palpable sense that this result marked the end of an era. After six years of Chelsea dominance and a decade-long wait for a league title, Manchester City have put themselves on the brink of history. The torch may well be passing in the Women’s Super League, and if City maintain this form, few would bet against them finishing the job.