Shaw scores as Man City maintain WSL title chase

Manchester City kept up their Women’s Super League title chase with a clinical victory over Tottenham to move within three points of leaders Chelsea.

City have scored nine goals without reply against Spurs this season but were tested at Brisbane Road.

An own goal from Tottenham defender Amy Turner gave City the lead, before Martha Thomas had a goal disallowed for the hosts because of a narrow offside.

Khadija Shaw confirmed victory for City early in the second half.

Shaw’s thumping strike into the roof of the net from close range was her 12th goal of the season, moving her above Chelsea’s Lauren James again as the outright top scorer in the WSL.

Gareth Taylor’s side knew victory was crucial, having seen Chelsea beat Brighton on Saturday to extend their lead at the top and they got off to the perfect start when Turner touched in Lauren Hemp’s cross into her own net.

Tottenham threatened through Thomas and Celin Bizet but City’s Laura Coombs and Shaw squandered chances too before the second goal arrived.

Roord tribute as Man City respond to setback
All eyes were on City and how they would respond to the news that key midfielder Jill Roord had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury this week and they arrived in London with a six-point gap to make up thanks to Chelsea’s victory over Brighton.

Roord was with the squad in the dugout, having travelled down from Manchester to show her support just days after her injury diagnosis, and her team-mates made their appreciation known when they took an early lead.

The whole team ran over to the dugout and picked up a shirt bearing Roord’s number 20 and Hemp held it up to the stands, before the players applauded in the Dutchwoman’s direction.

“It was really nice. It surprised me. I didn’t know anything about it,” said City boss Taylor.

“It says a lot about Jill that she travelled with us today and wanted to come. It was a really nice touch – and really nice for Jill to be there to experience that.”

A large number of travelling fans, sitting in a stand to the left of the dugout, applauded and chanted “there’s only one Jill Roord”.

City were certainly tested in her absence, and there was space for Tottenham to take advantage of on the break, but on the whole the visitors did well to see out victory against an ever-improving Spurs side.

“It’s a blow [to lose Roord], there’s no denying that. She’s such a top player,” added Taylor.

“I don’t think you can replace Jill. What I like about the group is that we have shown a different side to us this season and players can step up. It’s a loss but this is where you can see the best of us and I thought the players did that really well today.”

Taylor also confirmed that goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck – heavily linked with a move away from City this January – was not in the squad because a “sickness bug” that meant she had to travel back to Manchester on Sunday morning.

Thomas frustration as Spurs miss chances
Tottenham have shown their attacking prowess this season but it has proven costly at times, as they learned at Joie Stadium in November when City thumped them 7-0.

But Robert Vilahamn’s side were far more organised on this occasion and had they taken their chances in the first half, they may well have had something to show for their efforts.

“We have shown progress and were better defenders today, but I think it also shows we are on a journey and we are not there yet to compete with the best teams in this league,” said Vilahamn.

“Manchester City are absolutely brilliant in how they play and they have played for a while with this team. It was a little bit tricky because we wanted to make sure we defend well with this team and have a good plan, but [their first goal] loses energy for us.

“We are still on a journey to beat them but I think next year we will be more ready.”

Thomas thought she had scored and was celebrating in the corner, showing her name to the home fans in a Ronaldo-esque stance, before realising the flag had gone up for offside.

That came around 10 minutes after she had fired over the bar from Grace Clinton’s brilliant through ball. Thomas’ frustrations grew when she came off early in the second half.

She was emotional in the dugout and immediately strapped ice around her knee.

“It’s no injury, it’s more of a load [matter],” said manager Vilahamn. “She’s coming back from some small issues after she came back from the Christmas holidays.

“We gave her 45 minutes in a previous game and she had 60 minutes today so that was planned from the beginning.”

Tottenham pushed again late on when substitutes Jess Naz and Shuang Wang made an impact – one firing over the bar and the other teeing up Bethany England, who was denied by goalkeeper Khiara Keating.

But a lack of quality in the box ultimately proved costly for Spurs as City demonstrated their clinical ability at the other end.

Shaw scores as Man City maintain WSL title chase

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