CATARINA MACARIO’S brace moved Chelsea a step closer to the Women’s Super League title as they beat Crystal Palace 4-0 at Kingsmeadow to push the visitors to the brink of relegation.

Sonia Bompastor’s side hold a six-point advantage over second-placed Arsenal and with only three games of the season remaining, a sixth consecutive crown could be sealed as early as next Wednesday’s game away to Manchester United.

Before that there is the matter of attempting to overturn a 4-1 deficit against Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Sunday, and to that end several first-team regulars were left on the bench, including Erin Cuthbert, Mayra Ramirez and Keira Walsh.

Not that they were missed against a Palace side who played most of the second half with 10 players following Allyson Swaby’s red card and are now just one defeat away from making an immediate return to the Championship after a 14th loss in 19 games.

A Guro Reiten penalty midway through the first half followed by Macario’s fine finish into the corner took the fight from Palace before half-time, then a deflected Macario free-kick and a near-post tap-in from Mia Fishel ensured it was another miserable away outing for Leif Smerud’s side.

For unbeaten Chelsea — whose captain Millie Bright was making her 200th WSL appearance, just seven short of the record held by Aston Villa’s Jordan Nobbs — another title could be just a week away.