Leicester City 0-2 Manchester City: Bunny Shaw and Chloe Kelly send visitors third

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Chloe Kelly scored her first Women's Super League goal of the season as Manchester City beat bottom side Leicester City to move up to third.

WSL top scorer Bunny Shaw's 61st-minute looping header - her 10th league goal of the season - put Gareth Taylor's side in front.

Kelly's superb strike made sure of the points 13 minutes later.

The England forward cut in from the right before arrowing a low left-footed strike into the far corner.

It took an inspired performance from Leicester goalkeeper Janina Leitzig to keep the hosts level for as long as they were but she had no chance with either goal.

The Bayern Munich loanee made a WSL record 15 saves in the match, including six in the opening 20 minutes as the visitors created chances almost at will early on.

Shaw, Kelly, Deyna Castellanos and the impressive Lauren Hemp were all denied by Leitzig.

Chances were extremely scarce for Willie Kirk's side, but they did have a glorious opportunity to go in front just five minutes into the game, when Hannah Cain's close-range header was parried to safety by keeper Ellie Roebuck.

While Manchester City move a point ahead of Arsenal, albeit having played two games more, Leicester remain four points from safety at the foot of the table.

Man City overcome familiar frustration

While it was ultimately a comfortable win for the away side, they should have been out of sight by half-time.

They poured forward time and again in the first 20 minutes, finding space at will and overwhelming an increasingly exposed Leicester defence.

Out wide, Hemp and Kelly were practically invited to run at the full-backs and gleefully accepted the offer, creating countless chances for themselves and their team-mates.

The visitors were sorely lacking in front of goal, though, and as well as Leitzig played in the Leicester goal, she was aided by some less than clinical finishing.

Manchester City's Deyna Castellanos shoots during WSL game at Leciester CityImage source, Reuters
Image caption,

Manchester City had a number of chances in a lively opening at King Power Stadium

Leicester came back into the game later in the first half, forcing their opponents back with a bold high-pressing approach but, no doubt wary of giving up quite so many chances again, sat much deeper after the break.

After missed chances cost them against Aston Villa last time out in the WSL, there would have been some relief for Manchester City when Shaw guided Laura Coombs' right-wing cross past Leitzig to open the scoring.

As eye-catching as some of the football played by Taylor's side was, it is likely to require more surety in front of goal if they are to fight their way back into the title picture.

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