Lauren James shows WSL masterclass against Aston Villa.

The home side took the lead in the 13th minute when Ji So-yun found James in space and the youngster showed composure to take a touch before firing past Sian Rogers.

Villa equalised against the run of play through Jodie Hutton’s long-range strike but Chelsea restored their advantage soon after when Maren Mjelde’s free-kick found an unmarked James, who powered a header past Rogers.

Lauren James then turned provider, picking out Fran Kirby with a perfectly-weighted cross that the Chelsea forward duly dispatched to make it 3-1 and seal the three points for the Blues. The result sees Chelsea move up to third in the WSL table, while Villa remain in seventh.

James was delighted with her performance and told Chelsea TV: “It was a great team performance and I’m just happy to have contributed to the win. We knew Aston Villa would be tough opponents but we stuck to our game plan and got the three points, which is all that matters.”

Lauren James put in a Man of the Match performance as Chelsea beat Aston Villa 5-0 in the WSL. It was a brilliant all-round display from James, who has now established herself as one of the best players in the WSL. The youngster has been a revelation this season and is quickly becoming one of the most exciting talents in women’s football.

Chelsea head coach Emma Hayes was also full of praise for James, saying: “Lauren was outstanding. Her energy and quality on the ball caused Villa problems all game long. “She’s a joy to watch and I’m so happy she’s getting the rewards for all her hard work.”

She will be hoping to continue her good form when Chelsea take on Manchester City in the WSL next week.