Chloe Kelly gives Leicester first loss as Man City head top of WSL table

High-flying Leicester City hosted Manchester City in a top-of-the-table Women's Super League clash on Saturday evening and it was England forward Chloe Kelly who made the difference

Chloe Kelly's lone strike sent Manchester City to the top of the Women's Super League table after their 1-0 victory away to high-flying Leicester City on Saturday evening ended the host's unbeaten start to the season.

A bright start from the hosts was quickly snuffed out as Kelly opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a low powerful strike that wriggled into the net much to the chagrin of keeper Janina Leitzig. City continued to dictate the tempo, though Gareth Taylor's side risked ruing spurned opportunities as the host's began to fashion a riposte towards the end of the first-half and calling City keeper Khiara Keating into action.

An invigorated start to the second-half and a sloppiness in possession from City saw Leicester pose the largest threat as City's defence were put under pressure. Jess Park and Lauren Hemp were called to re-instil a sense of purpose to City's attack. It didn't take long to make their mission known as Hemp forced Leitzig to parry a fiercely whipped strike into the path of Park whose effort blazed over the bar.

Despite chances falling for both sides, Kelly's first-half strike proved decisive. Below are the talking points from Manchester City's 1-0 win over Leicester.

1. City claim top spot despite poor show in front of goal

City boss Gareth Taylor claimed ahead of Saturday’s clash that his side’s top-of-the-table status was not an ephemeral status, rather a height they intended to maintain until May.

On Saturday, the claim felt tame as City passed the ball hither and tither through Leicester's stretched defence and dealt comfortably with the threats on offer.

Yet, a profligacy in front of goal threatened to undermine Taylor's prediction, with Kelly, Shaw, Mary Fowler, Filippa Angeldal and Jill Roord all coming close but unable to make the most of their first-half dominance.

City slipped into an apathetic and sloppy state after the interval, earning the introduction of Hemp and Park to the fray. The duo offered something in the way of a response to Leicester's questions but nothing conclusive to test Leipzig despite a slew of chances to do so, raising questions of whether Taylor's claims will hold over time.

Nevertheless, City's unsullied start to the season remains in tact as they claimed the WSL table's top spot going into the international break, a position that few anticipated for Taylor and co ahead of the season.

2. Bold Leicester shape proves costly

Kirk opted for a back three to handle City's voracious attack, and while the bold shift initially looked to be a smart one, City delivered an early humbling as keeper Khiara Keating's pass over the top found Khadija Shaw.

The striker flicked a smart header into the path of a foraying Roord. The host's scrambled defence saw Kelly in acres of space on the right and the Lioness fired a low powerful shot which squirmed inexplicably underneath Leitzig for the opener.

Leicester's backline continued to be stretched and manipulated by City's attack, who were more than obliging to exploit the space in the opening stages, though their wastefulness and Leicester's eventual stabilizing saw the first-half arrears kept at a manageable 1-0.

3. Leicester unbeaten run ends but confidence to be taken

The comparisons to seasons prior are difficult not to make with this Leicester side given the monstrous chasm of contrast thrumming underneath it all. Leicester required 14 matches last season to reach seven points. They didn't manage a win until January. The last two seasons have been defined by final-day relegation scraps.

A relegation scrap doesn't seem to be on the cards this season, and while Leicester were let off the hook a number of times by City's own squandering in the opening half hour, the hosts managed to fashion chances and play the positive, plucky football has come to define their new playing persona.

The second-half display particularly underscored the squad's evolution under Kirk. The host's conviction to not only attack but to do so by not abandoning their playing their style, while City were reduced to wasting time near the corner flag, will no doubt prove a point of pride for manager Willie Kirk.

A clinical edge and finer touch in the final third were ultimately for want, but the chances fashioned were promising.

4. Keeper Keating underlines first England call-up

A first senior call-up to the England squad for this month's Women's Nations League matches is the prize for some indomitable displays from Keating this season.

And the 19-year-old elaborated on the theme against Leicester as she produced a host of imposing saves, a number from point-black range, while also displaying her worth on the ball.

Some early fancy footwork to evade Leicester's press after a nervy back pass earned her a stadium-wide murmur of approval. Keating followed it up with a pinpoint pass over the top to Shaw whose was met by Roord. The summer signing ushered the ball out wide to Kelly who supplied City their opener.

That direct style continued to be a tactic for Keating, who very nearly helped City to a second goal only for Angeldal to be denied by a goal-line clearance.

5. Shaw v Howard battle

For all the billing of a top-of-the-table clash, a rousing sub-plot was that of City striker Shaw versus Leicester's Sophie Howard.

The battle proved tense and top-notch, with both players pushing the other and making life difficult. Shaw could claim to have won the early blows, having bested Howard to carve open Leicester's backline and send City's counter on its way, which only relished so much joy.

But as the game progressed, so did Howard's hold on Shaw, who began to cut a more apprehensive figure following some physical brushes with the veteran centre-back that left her gingerly treating her ankle.

Nevertheless, City's best chances arrived when using Shaw's strong hold-up play as a focal point.

The Jamaica international will be frustrated not to have found the back of the net in the second-half after spurning two gilt-edged chances to extend City's lead.

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