Goals from Mayra Ramirez, Guro Reiten and Aggie Beever-Jones gave Chelsea a comprehensive 3-0 win away to Liverpool on Sunday to keep the pressure on Women's Super League (WSL) leaders Manchester City, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 on Friday.
City stay top on 19 points, one point ahead of Chelsea with the Londoners having a game in hand, while Brighton & Hove Albion remain third on 13 points despite a 5-0 thrashing by Arsenal on Friday.
Ramirez gave Chelsea the lead in the 37th minute after Liverpool failed to clear a Johanna Rytting Kaneryd shot that hit the crossbar, and the Colombian blasted home the loose ball to break the deadlock.
Reds keeper Rachel Laws had a moment to forget five minutes later when Liverpool tried to play out from the back and her pass landed at the feet of Chelsea winger Reiten, who took a touch before sweeping the ball into the empty net.
Liverpool pressed Chelsea high up the pitch and pinned back their opponents, but substitute Beever-Jones netted in the 90th minute to wrap up the three points for the Blues.