Man City Women 2 – 1 Everton Women

Manchester City beat Everton 2-1 at the Joie Stadium to move above Chelsea at the top of the Women’s Super League table.

Goals from Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw – her 15th of the WSL season – and Lauren Hemp put Gareth Taylor’s side into a 2-0 lead before Hanna Bennison’s stunner halved the deficit for Everton.

The result moves City three points clear of champions Chelsea, who can regain top spot when they travel to Leicester on Sunday evening, live on Sky Sports. Everton stay ninth.

All the goals…

How Man City continued WSL title charge

City’s quest to make it 12 consecutive victories in all competitions started well and the opening goal couldn’t have come any easier as Shaw pounced on Justine Vanhaevermaet’s mistimed back pass before firing past Courtney Brosnan in the 15th minute.

City, who registered 22 shots to Everton’s five and finished the game with 71 per cent possession, were dominant throughout but perhaps slightly fortunate to go into the break ahead as Rikke Madsen failed to capitalise when gifted the ball by City goalkeeper Khiara Keating seconds before half-time.

The Toffees improved at the start of the second half and almost equalised through substitute Martina Piemonte, whose close-range effort produced a superb reaction save from Keating, but they soon found themselves two goals behind.

Hemp picked up the ball on the right-hand side and drove at the Everton defence before curling an exquisite left-footed strike past the outstretched hand of Brosnan from the edge of the area (55).

City looked set to kick on but Bennison reduced the hosts’ lead and gave Everton hope when her sensational effort from distance cannoned off the crossbar and into the net (60).

It set up what could have been a nervy finish, but City saw out the rest of the game comfortably to put pressure on Chelsea at the top of the table ahead of the champions’ trip to Leicester on Sunday.

With just seven games remaining for Taylor’s team, belief is growing that they can win their first WSL title since 2016.

Taylor: Three points key at this stage of season

Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor speaking to Sky Sports: “All we can do is what we do. We’ve always tried to concentrate on what we do.

“It was really difficult losing 24 hours. This game was originally Sunday and that’s happened the last two international breaks now. We’ve had to come back and play early Saturday.

“It was really important that we got the result, similar to the last one where we beat Villa 2-1. At this stage of the season, three points are really key.

“I thought we were pretty comfortable. They had to score a special goal. The margins are tight. I’m not going to deny you want to see it over the line but we have done that really well this season. Seeing the games out, we’ve been really good in that space.”

Sorensen: Everton stepped up

Everton boss Brian Sorensen speaking to Sky Sports: “I’m proud of the girls. I’m proud that the girls stepped up and made a game of it.

“We could have grabbed something at the end if we had a bit of coolness, but overall they had the bigger chances and the ball the most so it’s fair enough that they win.

“But I’m proud that we played against such a good team without a centre-back and we did as good as we could.”

What’s next?

Manchester City host Chelsea in the League Cup semi-finals on Thursday at 7.15pm before travelling to Tottenham in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup at 3pm next Sunday.

Up next for Everton is a home FA Cup quarter-final against Chelsea at 1pm on Sunday. They then return to Women’s Super League action on March 16 when they host Aston Villa at 1pm.