Khadija Shaw shows her class as Man City blow Liverpool away to make big WSL title statement

Having beaten Liverpool 5-1 earlier this season, City again turned in a dominant performance to improve their WSL title hopes. Lauren Hemp opened the scoring after 15 minutes as she netted her ninth goal of the season with a cool finish after a scramble in the area.

And City added a second shortly after, as Jess Park dribbled brilliantly away from two Liverpool defenders before finishing via the post. And by 23 minutes, City were 3-0 up, thanks to an absolutely superb strike from Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw. Collecting the ball 20 yards out, she beat her marker and smashed a rasping effort into the top-corner.

In the second half, the game followed a similar pattern, and Shaw added her second and City's fourth with an excellent header at a corner. Liverpool did pull one back late on, as Taylor Hinds took aim from range and found the top corner, although it appeared to bounce in off goalkeeper Khiara Keating after hitting the crossbar.

Shaw scored a hat-trick in the reverse fixture, as City won 5-1, and while she wasn't able to match that feat this time, she again terrorised the Liverpool backline. In that game, the Reds were limited to just three shots on goal.

Shaw turned in a performance of immense quality. Not only did she score with a truly brilliant long-range strike, she also showed off her knack for finding space in crowded areas with her headed goal. She is quite clearly one of the best players in the WSL and she proved it yet again. Liverpool must be sick of the sight of her.

Chelsea will have been watching on hoping to see City drop points but instead, they saw them run up their goal difference, and it could prove crucial. They went into the game with a goal difference that was two inferior to the Reds, now it is one better, and such a swing in a tight title race will come as a blow to Emma Hayes' side. They won't be in league action again until April 17, and City's performance here means they will have to be at their very best if they are to overtake them at the top of the table.

City are next in action on April 21 against West Ham, while Liverpool return to action against Bristol City the day prior. Of course, City have just four games of the season remaining, and winning all of them will ensure they end the campaign as champions, provided they maintain a better goal difference than Chelsea.