Kerolin scored a sparkling hat trick as Women's Super League leaders Manchester City thumped stuttering champions Chelsea 5-1 to move 11 points clear at the top.

Khadija Shaw and Vivianne Miedema were also on target in a statement victory for Andree Jeglertz's side at the Etihad Stadium.

City took the lead after 13 minutes when Chelsea failed to clear a corner and in-form Brazilian winger Kerolin's half volley took a deflection on its way into the net.

The Blues thought they had equalised through a header from Wieke Kaptein, but she was flagged offside.

Chelsea began to dominate and Sandy Baltimore fizzed a shot wide, Keira Walsh was denied by Ayaka Yamashita with a swerving drive and Erin Cuthbert's effort was also tipped over by the City keeper.

Instead, City doubled their lead in the 37th minute after Chelsea got themselves into trouble playing out from the back.

Kaptein was dispossessed, Miedema played the ball forward and Shaw outmuscled Naomi Girma before tucking her 14th goal of the season past Hannah Hampton.

Blues boss Sonia Bompastor claimed it was a foul by Shaw on Girma, but the goal stood.

City almost had a third with the very next attack but Kerolin's audacious backheel rolled across goal and just wide.

Number three did arrive three minutes after the interval when Kerolin raced unchallenged from the halfway line before superbly chipping England 'keeper Hampton.

The 26-year-old completed her treble 10 minutes later with a close-range finish from Lauren Hemp's low cross.

Alyssa Thompson pulled one back for Chelsea with a spectacular strike from the edge of the box, but the four-goal cushion was restored when Miedema's glancing header looped over Hampton into the net.