Half-time reading:

45+2 min Again, James hoves across the face of the box from left to centre, leathering a shot that Deslandes wears in the midriff before folding; it looks evil. She won’t mind, though, because without her intervention, that was 4-3.

45 min We’ll enjoy three additional minutes. This has been – and still is – one of the funnest halves I’ve seen this season.

44 min Pre-match, I wondered if Villa might get some joy out of Buurman, but it’s actually Bronze who’s been caught for two of their goals. She’s struggling with Hansen’s pace and movement – something she has in common with many WSL defenders.

43 min Since Villa’s second goal, Chelsea haven’t been able to take back the total control they had prior to it. I sense that, at half-time, Bompastor will be sharing some sentiments with them.

42 min Chelsea win a corner and Nusken returns; James sends another nasty delivery flat and into the middle, but Nusken can’t get the connection she’s after.

40 min Nusken treads on the ball and goes down, but is soon up and limping off; I think she’ll be OK to continue. That second Chelsea goal, by the way, is Girma’s first in the WSL; no wonder she was so eager to claim it.

38 min This game could finish with almost any score, and Arsenal will be watching it with interest. On the one hand, they’ll know that the way James is playing, their Champions League tie is far from over, but the way Chelsea are defending, they’ll fancy their chances of adding to the three goals they scored last week.

37 min The second Chelsea goal has been credited to Girma; I think that’s the correct call.

35 min Now it’s Villa moving the ball as they seek an equaliser…

33 min You can only credit Villa, who started superbly, spent the next half-hour suffering, then found a way of hauling themselves back into the game. They’ve got some serious speed and precision on the counter – their two opportunities have been crafted and finished with a complete absence of ruth.

29 min Villa look shellshocked – these Chelsea goals have come far too easily but, on the other hand, pressure takes a toll.

26 min Lauren James, though, what a player. Everything she does looks so natural – I can’t think of many players who combine pace, power, skill, invention and intelligence, though of course her brother is another.

25 min Girma celebrated like she was sure she’d scored, and replays are inconclusive, but I think she imparts a fine glance. Chelsea have responded really well to going behind.

22 min Elsewhere, London City lead West Ham 1-0; back with our game, Thompson, who’s started the game well, wins Chelsea another corner.

19 min Chelsea are playing pretty well now; I very much doubt this match ends 0-1. Which isn’t to say Villa won’t win it, just that it’ll probably take another goal, at least.

18 min This time, James stick the corner into the box and Nusken’s up … but her header flashes wide.

17 min Lovely from James, slowing down Wilms then ducking inside, the defender with no option but to fall over. She then feeds Nusken inside her, Roebuck tipping the shot around the post.

17 min Chelsea’s press is dominating the game now, but Villa’s goal dominates the scoreboard.

16 min Again, it goes short, James to Thompson back to James, who shoots from the corner of the box … and straight at Roebuck.

15 min Chelsea are swarming Villa now, Taylor heading behind to concede a corner when under nae pressure.

13 min But now Bornze turns up on the left wing, crossing … and Kaptein only just fails to apply brow to ball, Thompson also unable to catch up with it. Chelsea, though, maintain pressure, winning a corner; it goes short then back to James, whose shot is saved by Roebuck easily enough.

12 min On which point, Hanson almost catches Bronze, chasing a channel-pass; in the event she’s penalised but using her pace as she roams about the forward line looks to be a central plank of Villa’s strategy today.

11 min Chelsea look dangerous down their left, Thompson running in behind and looking to have the legs on Nightswonger. I’d not be surprised to see Walsh dart passes in behind for that purpose.

10 min Looking at the goal again, I’m not sure Bronze’s pass was a blind one, rather a dreadful one. No doubt the distinction will make her feel much better.

8 min This has been a really entertaining start. Chelsea are threatening now, but Villa look enterprising on the counter and like they believe they can get something out of this.

6 min Pre-match, Arroyo told us she wanted her side to stay in the game early on, but they’ve done plenty more than that. But Chelsea are awake now, Thompson running off Nightswonger, and collecting a pass into stride before crossing; in the middle, Patten does just enough to lever Kerr out of it before, backing up from the left, James again shoots wide.

5 min Back come Chelsea, Walsh having a shot blocked, then James fires wide.

4 min Chelsea have plenty of time to get that goal back, but Bompastor will be concerned by so lackadaisical a start.

1 min Chelsea look to bait Villa into pressing, knocking the ball about the back four as they settle into rhytnm.

1 min Chelsea get us under way.

Chelsea look nice and relaxed in the huddle, plenty of laughter as Walsh gets them going. We’re ready.

Our teams are tunnelled, and here they come. This is Chelsea’s final home league game of the season.

These two teams have met 11 times in the WSL; Chelsea have won them all.

It really is too long since we saw Kerr and James together. If they’re at it today, I’m not sure what Villa can do about it.

Chelsea will know that, if they stop Hanson – only Khadija Shaw has scored more than her 10 league goals this season – they probably stop Villa. I’d not be surprised to see her drift wide and see if she can get at the inexperienced Buurman.

Bompastor tells Skywanted to find the strongest starting XI and Kerr, as the only no 9 in the squad, had to be involved.

Natalia Arroyo knows her team face a difficult task, Chelsea probably angry after their midweek tousing, so in the first instance she wants Villa to stay in the game, then fight hard.

Villa, meantime, will look to keep a low block, I expect, with Chastity Grant and Lucia Kendal breaking quickly and seeking to create for Kirsty Hanson. Villa currently sit eighth in the table, but will see sixth as still within reach.

So where is the game? Chelsea will look to play into Kerr and, if they can, get her turned and running either in behind or with the ball. while James wanders off the left in support. To make that happen, they’ll use Keira Walsh to control the pace of the game, with Kaptein and Nusken in particular bombing on.

The big news, though, is the return of Kerr. A side that has her and Lauren James in it can do anything to anyone, but how quickly can they gel?

This is a relatively young Chelsea XI – Veerla Buurman is 19, Wieke Kaptein 19 and Alyssa Thompson 21. I’m really looking forward to seeing how they get on as Bompastor looks to refresh the club, and if any of them do well enough to earn a midweek start when Arsenal visit.

Also going on:

Villa won last weekend for the first time since Brighton since beating Brighton on 11 January; they make one change, Lucy Parker dropping out with Océane Deslandes coming in.

Changes for Chelsea: out go Kadeisha Buchannan, Erin Cuthbert and Sandy Baltimore; in come Wieke Kaptein along with the returnees, Ellie Carpenter, starting after sitting on the bench in midweek, and Sam Kerr.