Sam Kerr shows she can be Chelsea difference-maker again already - and her long-awaited return is perfect timing amid Lauren James & Mayra Ramirez injuries

After all, strikers don't tend to lose those goal-poaching instincts in the box and when Kerr didn't have much time to think later in the game, she delivered. Perhaps that was it for the earlier chance. Perhaps she had time to weigh everything up and consider her options, rather than just doing what she does best by finding the back of the net. That wasn't the case for her landmark goal, when she pounced on a loose ball in the Aston Villa box, capitalising on the chaos caused by a corner to prod a shot beyond Ellie Roebuck which sparked jubilant celebrations from those on the pitch, on the bench and in the stands.

"It feels good," she said after the match, before offering some insight into the weight off her shoulders it also provided. "I'm obviously really happy but there's just a lot of relief. It's been a long journey so I'm just glad it's over."

Sonia Bompastor was particularly happy about that aspect, too. "I was really pleased Sam was able to come on for 20 minutes and was even more pleased with the fact she was able to score," she added. "I think it takes the pressure off her going into the future and her next games for the club."

It's hard to overstate how crucial that could be. The weeks ahead for Kerr will mainly consist of substitute appearances, as her minutes are built up again after so long on the sidelines. It would be foolish to ask her to do too much too soon, given not only how long she has been out but also how important she is for this Chelsea team. They've just got her back; they don't want to lose her again.

As such, chances could be few and far between for the striker, even in a team like this, and the longer it took for her to put one in the back of the net, the more it would be talked about, the more it would weigh on the player. That's all been dissipated almost immediately.

Now, there's real excitement about what she can add to Chelsea, even while she is still working her way back to her best. One only has to look at what Catarina Macario was able to do last season to see how valuable Kerr could be to the team. The American knows exactly what her team-mate has been through, having spent almost two years on the sidelines herself after an ACL injury. She made her comeback at the end of the 2023-24 season and then spent last term "rebuilding" her "foundations", with Bompastor very careful not to overload her given the time she spent out.

Despite all that management of minutes, Macario still managed to produce 11 goals and five assists as Chelsea won the treble, averaging a direct goal involvement every 88 minutes. She's a great case to look at for how Bompastor can manage a returning player's well-being nicely while still getting plenty out of them when they are on the pitch.

It's great timing for Kerr to be back, too, because Chelsea are a little light in attack right now. Lauren James is currently sidelined, with Bompastor unable to put a timeframe on her return, while Mayra Ramirez is expected to miss the rest of 2025 after having surgery on a hamstring injury. The Blues did invest in the forward positions in the transfer window, but Alyssa Thompson has only just arrived and will need to settle in, with Mara Alber still very inexperienced and likely to need even more time after a huge move from Hoffenheim.

"It's almost as if we've got an extra signing with her back," Hannah Hampton told Sky Sports on Sunday. "She's an absolute demon in the box and always finding the back of the net, so it'll definitely be a big help for us going forward. It's about time she starts annoying opposition goalkeepers. She does it to me enough times in training."

But it's not just about Kerr's goals and elite centre forward play. This is one of the most respected and beloved players in the Chelsea dressing room, someone who is a huge presence off the pitch not just for her personality but also her leadership and experience. Captain of her country, with her also wearing the armband for the Blues in the past, Kerr adds so many intangibles to a team that has big ambitions this season.

"It's so positive and gives a lot of confidence to her and the team, too," Bompastor said of Kerr's return on Sunday. "We are all really pleased for her because we all know how tough it was for her, being away from the game and from the pitch for so long. So for her official return, being able to come in, to make an impact in the game and score her 100th goal, I think we are all proud of that."

This is by no means the end of the road for Kerr when it comes to working her way back from that devastating injury. She's still got to build up her match fitness, ensure she doesn't do too much too soon and also allow her body to become re-accustomed to the rigours of the game.

"We need to be patient," Bompastor stressed earlier this month, speaking to Sky Sports. "We all want her to be at her best level yet, but we need to be patient. She hasn't played for many months so she's probably not at 100 per cent, but hopefully she will be soon and she will help us to perform."

Yet, Sunday showed that even while Kerr is in the early stages of her return, she will be a problem for defences in the Women's Super League, Champions League and beyond. And as more time passes, she will only get sharper and deadlier. What a boost she brings to this Chelsea team - and what a blow it is for their rivals to have to face her world-class quality again.