Chelsea reach Women's League Cup semi-finals alongside Arsenal, Manchester City and neighbours United

There were few surprises in the quarter-final of Continental Cup, the women’s League Cup, with all the competition’s full-time Women’s Super League teams progressing over the remaining part-time Championship sides.

Aston Villa managed to keep a full-strength Chelsea team – Emma Hayes started international forwards Sam Kerr, Bethany England, Erin Cuthbert and Ramona Bachmann – at bay for 55 minutes before Magdalena Eriksson managed a breakthrough. Ji So-Yun and Emma Murphy added two more for Chelsea in the final 10 minutes either side of a Kerri Welsh consolation goal for the Championship leaders.

The competition’s other remaining second-tier side, Sheffield United, lost 4-0 to Manchester City via a Pauline Bremer hat-trick and Laura Coombs’ 73rd-minute goal.

There remains the possibility of a Manchester derby in the semi-final, with Manchester United overcoming Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1. Abbie McManus scored her first United goal from Katie Zelem’s lofted delivery before former West Ham United forward Jane Ross added their second 15 minutes from time. Kayleigh Green slotted home from the spot for Brighton with seven minutes to go but Casey Stoney's side stood firm to reach their second successive League Cup semi-final.

Reigning Women’s Super League champions Arsenal took 86 minutes to overcome Reading’s resistance, but Kim Little’s 86th-minute goal ensured last season’s League Cup runners up have the chance to go one further in the competition this term.