'like An Extra Signing' - Kerr Back With A Bang After 637 Days

For a world-class striker, 20 months is simply a agelong clip to spell without a goal.

But Sam Kerr didn't person a opportunity successful nan matter - because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

The 32-year-old had not played since December 2023 aft injuring her knee successful a training campy pinch nan Blues.

After 637 days out, she marked her return successful style connected Sunday - scoring her 100th extremity for nan nine conscionable 13 minutes aft her preamble successful a 3-1 Women's Super League triumph complete Aston Villa.

"It's almost arsenic if we person sewage an other signing pinch her back," Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton told Sky Sports.

"It's a large thief for america going forward."

Kerr, successful existent centre-forward fashion, pounced connected a loose shot aft a goalmouth scramble and made nary correction pinch nan finish, slamming it past Villa keeper Ellie Roebuck earlier celebrating joyfully pinch her team-mates.

Chelsea leader Sonia Bompastor said nan extremity rounded disconnected a "perfect day" for Kerr.

"Personally, I'm really pleased," Bompastor said. "But I deliberation she is besides really pleased pinch that, and you cognize what Sam represents for Chelsea. For me, she's an idol.

"We each cognize really reliable it was for her, being distant from nan crippled and from nan transportation for truthful long.

"She doesn't for illustration being successful beforehand of everyone and getting nan limelight, but she really deserves it. I deliberation she needs to bask it arsenic good because she's been done reliable moments, truthful erstwhile you person positives, you request to observe them."

Kerr did not play astatine each during Bompastor's first play arsenic Chelsea boss, successful which nan Blues won nan home Treble and became nan first squad to spell done a 22-game WSL run unbeaten.

She was, however, a cardinal fig successful 3 successive WSL title-winning seasons nether erstwhile head Emma Hayes from 2020-21 to 2022-23.

"She's an absolute demon successful nan box," Hampton added.

"It's astir clip she starts annoying guidance goalkeepers - she does it capable to maine successful training."

Since Kerr's injury, Chelsea person had swapped managers and brought successful a big of attacking talent.

A mates of weeks aft Kerr tore her ACL, nan nine collapsed nan British transportation grounds erstwhile they signed Colombia guardant Mayra Ramirez arsenic a replacement.

And conscionable earlier this month, United States prima Alyssa Thompson joined for conscionable nether £1m.

But moreover connected a time erstwhile Thompson - now Chelsea's grounds signing - made her debut, it was Kerr who made nan headlines.

"It feels good," Kerr said astir her return. "I americium really happy but [feel] a batch of relief. It's been a agelong travel and I'm gladsome it's over."

She added that "it intends everything" to people her 100th extremity for nan club.

"When I signed for Chelsea I ne'er thought I would people 100 goals," she added.

"To do it for specified a monolithic club, and a nine I emotion truthful dearly, is simply a monolithic accomplishment and thing I americium really proud of. I don't bespeak excessively overmuch connected my goals, but to people 100 for Chelsea is thing I will support pinch maine forever."

Kerr has now scored 59 goals successful 76 WSL matches for Chelsea, and has nan second-best goals-per-game ratio (0.78) retired of players to person scored much than 5 WSL goals - down only Manchester City's Khadija Shaw.

"It will beryllium a immense weight taken disconnected her shoulders," said erstwhile England defender Gilly Flaherty connected Sky Sports.

"When a subordinate does travel backmost from wounded and they spell games without scoring and it goes connected and on, there's that pressure."

Kerr's play connected nan sidelines was disrupted by a high-profile tribunal lawsuit successful which she was connected proceedings for racially aggravated harassment, being was found not guilty successful February.

In May, Kerr and her partner Kristie Mewis, who plays for West Ham, announced nan birth of their first child - a babe boy called Jagger.

After Sunday's comeback, Brighton midfielder Fran Kirby, who played alongside Kerr astatine Chelsea, told Sky Sports: "I'm perfectly delighted for her. It's been a existent reliable travel for her.

"She belongs retired connected nan shot transportation and I'm delighted she her 100th extremity for Chelsea.

"She has been waiting a agelong clip for that moment. Hopefully she tin enactment fit, enactment healthy, and lend much passim nan season."