Man City leapfrog Chelsea with 2-0 win
Manchester City leapfrogged defending champions Chelsea to go second in the Women's Super League with an impressive victory over the Blues on Sunday.
Filippa Angeldahl's brilliantly lofted 20th-minute strike put City ahead and Lauren Hemp rifled in the second.
City's first league win over Chelsea since 2017 means they only trail leaders Manchester United on goal difference at the top of the table.
Chelsea are a point back in third but have a game in hand.
This was their first WSL defeat since the opening game of the season, while City remain unbeaten in the league since a defeat by Chelsea last September.
The meeting of the title contenders, which marked Women's Football Weekend, was watched by 5,222 fans at Academy Stadium, just shy of City's record crowd at their home stadium.
City rise to challenge in must-win game
Speaking in his pre-match news conference, City manager Gareth Taylor had said "we need to win this weekend, simple as that".
Those words clearly informed City's attitude to this game, as they pressed Chelsea and produced one of their finest performances of the campaign.
The high press brought City six corners in the first 20 minutes, while they constantly attacked down the right where Chloe Kelly looked to cut inside with menace - and it was from the right side that the first-half goals came.
Angeldahl's opener was a delightful effort from the corner of the box, her chip leaving Chelsea keeper Ann-Katrin Berger stranded.
Nine minutes later, Kelly's high cross from the right was only half cleared, allowing Hemp to crisply fire the loose ball past Berger on the half volley.
This was the 11th time Hemp has both scored and assisted in a WSL game, having set up Angeldahl for the opener. Only Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead have done so more often in English top-flight games than the 22-year-old England international.
City looked every inch a side which have not lost in 90 minutes since 25 September, and must now be considered a serious contender for the WSL title.
They could even afford for WSL top scorer Khadija Shaw - watched from the stands by fellow Jamaican star Usain Bolt - to have a rare off day.
Bright absence leaves Chelsea in the dark
As good as City were, Chelsea were far below their best, and manager Emma Hayes did not even wait until half-time before making her first changes.
Lauren James and Sophie Ingle were hooked before the interval, and Chelsea were sent out several minutes early from their break.
In defence Chelsea were unusually shaky, clearly missing Millie Bright who was absent after picking up an injury during their midweek Champions League quarter-final first-leg win over defending champions Lyon.
Hayes said Bright should be back in time to face the French side for next week's second leg. She cannot get the England central defender back again soon enough.
Going forward, Chelsea were limited to playing long balls over the top for Sam Kerr to chase, which City comfortably dealt with after cutting off the supply from midfield.
Kerr, currently on 49 WSL goals, had few chances, firing straight at Ellie Roebuck early on before being denied from a tight angle by the City keeper in the second half.
Chelsea improved after the break, however their best chance of the whole game came in injury time, Melanie Leupolz volleying over from 12 yards.
Hayes was also given another worry when Erin Cuthbert limped off with an injury in the second half, leaving the Scottish midfielder a doubt for the second leg against Lyon.
