Chelsea boss Emma Hayes hails 'complex' Lauren James after Lionesses 'genius' scores Stamford Bridge hat-trick against Man Utd

Hayes heaped praise on the 22-year-old attacker and even described her as a "genius footballer" after she powered Chelsea to a 3-1 win over Manchester United in a Women's Super League clash at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Speaking to the BBC after the game, Hayes said: "Human beings are not simple. There’s a lot of complexities with Lauren - but she’s a genius footballer. She wanted to demonstrate in front of the home fans she could step forward. She showed she could do it as a No.10 and No.9 in the second half. Her hold-up play is unbelievable."

With the hat-trick against her former club, James is now leading the Golden Boot race in the WSL with 10 goals in as many matches. The win also helped the Blues maintain their three-point lead at the top of the table after 11 games.

Hayes' side will now shift their focus to the Women's Champions League, where they are set to take on Real Madrid in a group stage game on Wednesday. The Blues are currently occupying the top spot in their group with eight points from four matches and a win against Las Blancas will help them book their berth in the knockout stage.