Man City keep marching on! Lionesses star Jess Park scores screamer as unbeaten WSL leaders stroll to victory against Crystal Palace

Manchester City knew that a win against Crystal Palace would ensure they remain top of the Women's Super League, and they came out looking to stamp their authority.

The away team suffocated Palace from the off, and didn't allow a single attempt on their goal in the first period. Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp provided their customary threat, and both narrowly missed good openings as Palace held firm thanks in no small part to goalkeeper Shae Yanez, who made several key saves throughout.

However, the pressure eventually told, as four minute before the break, Jessica Park saw an opening from 25 yards, and caressed the ball over Yanez and into the top corner for the most sumptuous of opening goals. Shaw saw a point blank header sail over before half time, but City went into the break with the lead and looking confident.

They started the second half as they ended the first, and Jill Roord saw a close range header brilliantly saved by Yanez to keep the deficit down. A minute later, though, the ball fell back to Roord and she made no mistake as she rolled the ball home to double their lead.

The second goal seemed to liven up what had been a fairly rigid Palace performance up to that point. The Eagles missed chances to half City's lead as Blanchard fired over an open goal from a narrow angle before striker Katie Stengel agonisingly hit the post from a Shanade Hopcroft cross.

City punished Palace for their profligacy, as Shaw nodded home the third and final goal from Park's cross. The Jamaican striker deserved a goal for her all action performance, and ensured City are sitting pretty at the top of the table heading into Sunday evening.

Park was the best player in the pitch at Selhurst Park. She scored a stunning strike from distance that found the top corner with unerring precision, but also ran the show from midfield, dictating the tempo and restricting Crystal Palace to counter-attacks and long balls. She topped her performance off with an assist, setting up a goal on a silver platter for Shaw, and was a key cog in City's maintenance of their unbeaten start to the season.

While City deserved the win, Palace's attack let them down against the league leaders. Such is City's quality in defence, the Eagles could only manage four shots throughout the entire game, with just one of those being on target. Stengel was isolated up top, and wingers Indiah-Paige Riley and Hopcroft were barged out of the game by cities possession of the ball.

On Friday, Man City will host Tottenham in what promises to be an action-packed game of football.