Manchester City Women vs Tottenham Hotspur Women. Women's Super League.
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Report and highlights as Man City score seven goals against Tottenham; Khadija Shaw scored first-half hat-trick; Striker scored three goals in 15 minutes; City added three more goals in 11 second-half minutes through Lauren Hemp. Jill Roord and Laura Coombs; Coombs added late seventh
Monday 27 November 2023 06:01, UK
Manchester City turned on the style as they followed up last weekend’s Manchester derby success with a 7-0 thrashing of Tottenham.
The opening half was all about Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, who scored three goals in 15 minutes in a ruthless display in front of goal.
The striker grabbed City's opener in the 23rd minute by heading home Leila Ouahabi's inviting cross. Spurs goalkeeper Becky Spencer did manage to get a hand on the ball but there was too much power on Shaw's header.
The 26-year-old was in the right place at the right time again nine minutes later as Jill Roord delivered a low cross from the left. Shaw had to stoop to meet the cross with her head, steering the ball past Spencer to double City's advantage.
Six minutes later the hat-trick was complete. Laia Aleixandri delivered from the right and Shaw controlled the ball on her chest inside the penalty area before firing a low volley into the bottom corner.
Spurs were stunned. Robert Vilahamn brought on Rosella Ayane for Zhang Linyan at the break as the visitors looked for a way to turn the game around.
However, the City goals kept coming in the second half with three more in 11 minutes. England international Lauren Hemp's shot from the edge of the penalty area found the top corner before Roord converted Hemp's cross from close range to make it five.
Despite the goals flying in, Man City goalkeeper Khiara Keating had to stay alert, making fine saves to deny Martha Thomas and Eveliina Summanen, but the flow of goals could not be stopped at the other end.
Hemp was again the provider as her cutback picked out substitute Laura Coombs, who added City's sixth before she put the finishing touch on a stunning evening for City with a brilliant finish into the top corner for the home side's seventh and final goal in injury time.
The victory sees Gareth Taylor's side move up to third, one point ahead of Manchester United. They remain six points behind leaders Chelsea and three behind second-placed Arsenal.
Meanwhile, the defeat sees Spurs' six-game unbeaten run in the league come to an end. They are sixth, four points behind Man City.
Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor to Sky Sports:
"It is one game. We have had so many opportunities and every game can potentially turn into that score-line tonight."
On City's goal-scoring record: "I think it is such a positive for us. We knew when we come up short last season it was scoring them at the top end and keeping them out at the bottom.
"The pressure for us always starts at the top end of the pitch.
On Lauren Hemp's impact: "Lauren Hemp is someone who needs a challenge and needs to feel confident and has set such high standards these last few games.
"Manchester United last week, she was immense in everything she gave and it is difficult to single out players.
"I thought we started the game flat and Lauren was the spark, but after we got the first goal you could see the confidence come.
"I think Lauren is so good in those situations she creates so many problems for the full-back. She is such a threat and she causes so much problems for teams and she has the final quality which makes a difference."
Sky Sports' Izzy Christiansen:
"Lauren Hemp was excellent. Full credit to her for her performance.
However, the player of the match has to be Bunny Shaw.
"The three goals in the first half were ruthless. It was really good No 9 play with the movement inside the box excellent.
"I'd urge any young striker to watch it back."
Manchester City striker Bunny Shaw speaking to Sky Sports:
"It was a good feeling of course. Coming into this game we wanted to be clinical and score as many goals as possible. It starts with us at the top of the pitch. We scored the goals and got the win so it's a good game.
"That's probably the quickest I've scored three goals. I just want to go out there and work as hard as I can for the team. Getting the job done is the most important thing and getting three points on the board. I do the bits I can in and around my position. Hopefully I get the goals and that's what happened tonight.
"Me and Lauren (Hemp) work a lot on the training pitch and communicate. I'm used to her now and where she's going to put the ball and she knows where I'm going to be. We spoke about it. I said just put the ball in and I try to get across the face of the goal."
Tottenham manager Robert Vilahamn to Sky Sports:
"Seven-nil is not a fun result, I apologise to the fans about that result, because it's not a result we should have.
"But if you look at Man City and how they scored their goals this game, they are a really great team and we tried to play our style but they win the ball and they score goals. But we are still going to try and do what we are supposed to do, but they are a really good team and they hurt us today. We need to learn from this, this is a hard knock for us. I know we're going to come back and we're going to fight again, and take steps from this one as well."
On learnings to take into Manchester United and Arsenal games: "Man City are a very high quality team, so we need to know this is the level we're going to compete against teams like this. We still need to learn how to play against them, this first month we will continue to do that, because the result will come."
City host Aston Villa on December 9, with the game kicking off at 12pm in a game you can see live on Sky Sports Football.
Meanwhile, Spurs entertain Man Utd on December 10 (kick-off 6.45pm) in another match being broadcast live on Sky Sports!
