LONDON (Reuters) - Chelsea's Lauren James scored in stoppage time to snatch a 2-1 win at home to Everton on Sunday that maintained their lead atop the Women's Super League, with the reigning champions once again finding a way to win when the odds looked stacked against them.

Sonia Bompastor's side have 40 points ahead of Manchester United in second on 33 after a 3-1 home win over bottom side Crystal Palace. Arsenal have 30 points in third, having thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 in front of 56,784 at the Emirates.

In the late kick-off, fourth-placed Manchester City hammered Liverpool 4-0 to move to 28 points and keep their faint title hopes alive, while Brighton & Hove Albion remain fifth on 18 despite a 3-1 defeat at West Ham United.

Everton took a shock lead over Chelsea at Kingsmeadow, after a goalless first half, when Kelly Gago caught goalkeeper Hannah Hampton by surprise, whipping a shot across her and in at the far post from a difficult angle six minutes after the break.

Chelsea were not behind for long, however, as Sandy Baltimore won the ball back on the right and it made its way via Johanna Rytting Kaneryd to Mayra Ramirez, and the Colombian rattled it home to level in the 62nd minute.

The visitors poured on the pressure and substitute Aggie Beever-Jones hit the bar with a header and blazed a shot just wide, but Everton defended bravely as the Blues looked set to drop points for only the second time this season.

However, James dashed the hopes of the chasing pack when she arrowed a drive in at the foot of the far post three minutes into stoppage time to break the Toffees' hearts.

"Today I think if she was not on the pitch we probably could not have won the game ..." Bompastor said of James. "She could show her talent with the ball, but also she works really hard for the team and I think that's something really good,"

At the other end of the table, playmaker Janice Cayman scored twice as Leicester City romped to a 3-0 win over Midlands rivals Aston Villa to ease their relegation worries.

Leicester leapfrogged Villa into 10th spot in the 12-team league, two points ahead of Sunday's opponents and six above Palace, who remain bottom in the automatic relegation place.

(Reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Ed Osmond and Ken Ferris)