Manchester City move clear of Chelsea at the top of WSL with victory over struggling Everton

Manchester City pulled clear at the top of the WSL with a 2-1 win over Everton on Saturday.

The hosts had won each of their 15 matches in the WSL against Everton, and had conceded just eight goals in their last 14 league games.

City went close early on, when Lauren Hemp’s cross was cleared, but only as far as Yui Hasegawa, whose shot flew over the bar.

They needed only 15 minutes to take the lead, with Khadija Shaw exploiting a defensive error from Everton’s Justine Vanhaevermaet, who was robbed off possession on the edge of the area as she looked to find her keeper Courtney Brosnan.

Instead Shaw slipped in and scored for her side to take the lead.

Things looked to be going from bad to worse for the away side when Brosnan needed treatment, with the keeper one of their best performers to that point, but she was able to continue.

Everton managed to get to the end of the half just a goal down despite City’s 13 shots and 70% possession.

After the restart, Everton attacked more forcefully and Khiara Keating was called upon to stop an effort from substitute Piemonte, before City forward almost grabbed a second with a header that flew over the crossbar.

Five minutes before the hour mark, Hemp played a one-two with Laura Combs before cutting inside from the right to find the bottom corner.

However, Everton pulled a goal back four minutes later through Hanna Bennison, whose brilliant strike thundered in off the bar.

City then pushed to make sure of victory, but Combs had a shot towards the corner stopped by an excellent Brosnan save, but neither side were able to notch another goal.

The win took City three points clear of Chelsea, top of the league, while Everton remain ninth on 14, eight clear of the drop.

The vast majority of WSL games this weekend take place on Sunday, with Arsenal playing Tottenham, Bristol City welcoming Brighton, Liverpool travelling to Aston Villa, West Ham playing host to Manchester United and Chelsea away to Leicester City.

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