Manchester City made it five Women’s Super League wins in a row after cruising to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Jess Park opened the scoring in the 40th minute with a highlight-reel effort from distance and Jill Roord doubled the visitors’ advantage five minutes after the restart.
Katie Stengel came closest for this season’s top-flight newcomers, clipping a post in the second half of a contest that saw 2,775 fans flock to the Eagles’ main venue.
Park then turned provider, setting up Khadija Shaw who nodded home City’s third in the 73rd minute.
Jamaica international Shaw was the first to test Shae Yanez, calling the Palace goalkeeper into action moments after kick-off with a weak effort straight at the American.
The visitors were firmly in control of the action, but chances remained few and far between until Shaw tested Yanez again shortly after the 10-minute mark.
City remained encamped in the Eagles half, patiently looking for a breakthrough.
Lauren Hemp and Park were the next to try breaking the deadlock, the former firing wide while her England team-mate’s attempt was a simple save for Yanez.
Palace continued to defend diligently under more pressure from City, who were denied twice more by Yanez before Park blasted the opener into the top left from 25 yards out.
City might have wanted more from a chance for Hemp, who fired over in stoppage time.
Yanez leapt to her left and made an excellent fingertip save to deny Roord’s nodded effort shortly after the restart, but the Dutchwoman would not be denied twice and doubled City’s lead with a low finish in the 50th minute.
Stengel found herself through on goal before she was overtaken by a pair of opposing defenders, and was soon tangled up between them, weakly firing at the awaiting Khiara Keating.
Keating punched away a cross and the ball fell favourably into the path of Annabel Blanchard, who blasted Palace’s first shot of the afternoon over the bar from an awkward angle.
They then came even closer, half-time substitute Ashleigh Weerden stirring the home support when she raced down the left and laid off to Stengel.
The American striker’s resulting effort pinged off the near post, and Blanchard’s head was in her hands when she failed to finish from the rebound.
It felt like there was more to come from the visitors, who were three goals to the good when Park’s pinpoint delivery allowed Shaw to nod home with ease.
Palace boss Laura Kaminski brought on her last remaining outfield substitute in the 81st minute as her side looked to claw one back.
Weerden and Molly-Mae Sharpe both tried and another big save by Yanez denied City a late fourth, but the consolation never came.
Nikita Parris’ goal helped Brighton continue their impressive form with a 1-0 win over Leicester.
The forward headed home 20 minutes in to bag her third goal of the season as the Seagulls earned their fourth win of the campaign so far.
Liverpool moved level on points with Arsenal after Taylor Hinds’ double helped them beat Aston Villa 2-1.
Hinds struck twice in the first half, helping the Reds take the lead after smashing the ball into the top corner before bagging her brace with a low finish from similar distance.
Gabi Nunes pulled one back four minutes into the second half for Villa, but Liverpool held on to move level with the Gunners having amassed nine points so far this year.
Tottenham ended their three-game losing run in the league after Camila Saez’s late own goal saw them edge to a 2-1 win over West Ham.
The bottom-of-the-table Hammers took the lead through Riko Ueki before Bethany England levelled, but Spurs snatched three points after Saez lobbed her own goalkeeper in the second minute of stoppage time.
