Sam Kerr's early header set Chelsea on their way to a 3-1 win at Leicester that secured their Women's Champions League spot for next season, and made the Australian the Blues' all-time WSL top goalscorer.

Kerr, who has been reported to be leaving the club this summer and join NWSL expansion team Denver Summit, gave Chelsea the perfect start at the King Power Stadium as she rose to nod home Niamh Charles' cross after 13 minutes for her 64th goal in the top flight.

"It's a big achievement for me, it'll probably sink in in 10 years time when I'm retired!" she later told BBC Sport. "Every goal for me is really important, and to do it for a big club like Chelsea is really special."

If she does depart west London, the Blues will not be short of another source of goals with Lauren James at her talented best to add Chelsea's second and third before half-time in real style.

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The England winger first took a touch 20 yards out before bending a stunning strike beyond a helpless Katie Keane, then six minutes later beat the young goalkeeper again with an unstoppable free-kick from inside the D which cannoned in off the underside of the crossbar.

"Two steps, not bad huh?" she joked to BBC Sport about her run-up. "I was looking where the keeper was, it was quite close to be fair. A few people thought I wouldn't go over, but the keeper gave me the other side and it went top corner."

The game had the feeling of a repeat performance of Leicester's 7-0 hammering at Arsenal on Wednesday, until the hosts were gifted a goal before the break when Lucy Bronze's blind backpass was intercepted by Shannon O'Brien, who beat an out-of-position Livia Peng with a smart finish.

Despite that strike, Sonia Bompastor still felt comfortable enough with the scoreline to withdraw both James and Erin Cuthbert at half-time, though she may have been wondering whether she had gone too early when the Foxes flew out of the traps from the interval.

It proved only a brief worry for the Blues, however, as their bottom-of-the-table hosts failed to seriously test Peng again as the visitors ran out comfortable winners to cement a top-three finish and Champions League football next season.

Bompastor explains James' half-time withdrawl

Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor to BBC Sport:

"Everyone knows the quality Lauren has. No-one has to teach her the quality. It's great to see players like that, it's a joy to have them in your team and for the fans too.

"It was part of the plan [to take her off]. But it's good when you take players off and they want to stay on the pitch, but it was part of the plan to rotate a little bit today going into the FA Cup semi-final with fresh legs.

"We're in a good place. We are playing with confidence, right now the training sessions during the week are really good with a lot of intensity.

"I'm quite happy, and the performance we put in today was good. We can still demand a little bit more, we can control the game a little bit more, but the important thing was the result."

Passmore: We needed work-rate and passion at half-time

Leicester head coach Rick Passmoor to BBC Sport:

"The baseline for yourself being a professional is work rate, passion and pride. Playing here in front of the fans, get them on the edge of their seats and they will back you. They are minimum standards.

"Can you out-battle and out-work the opposition? That then gives you an opportunity to pass and play. We are in a difficult position in terms of confidence and momentum."

Story of the match in stats

What's coming up next?

• Leicester fixtures
• Chelsea fixtures
• WSL fixtures

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