Khadija Shaw scored three times in the first half to take her Women's Super League total this season to six goals
Khadija Shaw scored a first-half hat-trick as Manchester City blew Tottenham away in the Women's Super League.
Shaw struck three times in 15 minutes to propel City back into the Champions League places and hand Spurs their heaviest WSL defeat.
Laura Coombs scored twice, while Lauren Hemp and Jill Roord also added second-half goals in a superb display by the home side.
Tottenham were helpless in the face of the onslaught as their six-match unbeaten league run was comprehensively ended.
Coombs scored City's seventh deep in second-half stoppage time as they equalled their record margin of victory in a WSL game, previously set with an 8-1 thrashing of Bristol City in November 2020.
City found the breakthrough with their first opening of the game after 23 minutes. A fine cross from the left by Leila Ouahabi was met by a bullet header from Shaw.
The hosts suffered a shock loss to Brighton in their previous home match in the WSL, but were much more flowing and coherent in attack here and deservedly doubled their advantage with another fine attack down the left.
This time Jill Roord knocked in the cross which was turned in by Shaw and she completed her sixth hat-trick in English football four minutes later with the finest goal of the three.
Under pressure in the penalty box, Shaw controlled Laia Aleixandri's cross before firing a venomous low finish beyond Spurs keeper Becky Spencer.
The best goal of the game, however, was scored by Hemp three minutes after the interval with a magnificent curled shot into the top corner from 20 yards.
Roord scored from close range for her fifth goal in eight matches, continuing her fine start to life in English football after moving from Wolfsburg in the summer, before Coombs' double applied more gloss to a remarkable scoreline.
Victory moves Manchester City to third in the WSL, four points ahead of sixth-place Spurs.
Spurs given brutal reality check
After scoring 20 WSL goals last season and leading the line for Jamaica in their historic run to the World Cup knock-out stages last summer, Shaw has had a quiet start to this campaign by her high standards.
That ended here, as Shaw's blitz took her level at the top of the WSL scoring charts on six goals with Chelsea's Lauren James and Spurs' Martha Thomas, who has now failed to score in five matches.
City would have been nine points behind leaders Chelsea had they failed to win here.
Instead, they have injected new life into their title hopes by following last week's victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford with this near-perfect display.
For Spurs, it is a first defeat since a 2-1 loss at Chelsea on the opening day of the season, and a reality check as to their hopes of breaking into the WSL's established top four this season.
Robert Vilahamn's side attempted to meet City at their own game and were three times denied by fine Khiara Keating saves, although the margin of defeat could have been even worse had Alex Greenwood not rattled the bar from a free-kick.
- Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text
Line-upsMan City Women
Formation 4-2-3-1
35Keating4Aleixandri33Kennedy5Greenwood15Ouahabi25Hasegawa12Angeldahl11Hemp20Roord9Kelly21Shaw
- 35Keating4Aleixandri33Kennedy5Greenwood15OuahabiSubstituted forStokesat 82'minutes25Hasegawa12AngeldahlBooked at 15minsSubstituted forCoombsat 55'minutes11Hemp20RoordBooked at 27minsSubstituted forCastellanosat 55'minutes9KellySubstituted forParkat 82'minutes21ShawSubstituted forFowlerat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Roebuck3Stokes6Houghton7Coombs8Fowler10Castellanos14Morgan16Park18Casparij
Tottenham Women
Formation 4-3-3
22Spencer13Ale21Bühler5Bartrip29Neville15James25Summanen18Zhang14Bizet Ildhusøy17Thomas8Clinton
- 22Spencer13AleSubstituted forZadorskyat 63'minutes21Bühler5BartripBooked at 74mins29Neville15James25SummanenSubstituted forPercivalat 79'minutes18ZhangSubstituted forAyaneat 45'minutes14Bizet IldhusøySubstituted forNazat 78'minutes17Thomas8ClintonSubstituted forGrahamat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Votíková3Zadorsky4Turner7Naz11Petzelberger12Percival16Graham23Ayane26Pearse
Referee:Richie WatkinsMatch StatsHome TeamMan City WomenAway TeamTottenham WomenPossessionHome57%Away43%ShotsHome20Away6Shots on TargetHome10Away4CornersHome6Away5FoulsHome4Away12Live Text Post update
Match ends, Manchester City Women 7, Tottenham Hotspur Women 0.
90'+10'Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester City Women 7, Tottenham Hotspur Women 0.
90'+8'Post update
Attempt missed. Ria Percival (Tottenham Hotspur Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ashleigh Neville with a cross.
90'+7'Post update
Attempt saved. Lauren Hemp (Manchester City Women) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
90'+6'goalGoal!
Goal! Manchester City Women 7, Tottenham Hotspur Women 0. Laura Coombs (Manchester City Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Jessica Park.
90'+5'Post update
Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+5'Post update
Foul by Ria Percival (Tottenham Hotspur Women).
90'+4'Post update
Foul by Jessica Park (Manchester City Women).
90'+4'Post update
Molly Bartrip (Tottenham Hotspur Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+3'Post update
Foul by Lauren Hemp (Manchester City Women).
90'+3'Post update
Kit Graham (Tottenham Hotspur Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'+1'Post update
Attempt blocked. Jessica Park (Manchester City Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lauren Hemp.
86'Post update
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur Women. Rosella Ayane tries a through ball, but Martha Thomas is caught offside.
84'Post update
Alex Greenwood (Manchester City Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
84'Post update
Foul by Rosella Ayane (Tottenham Hotspur Women).
84'Post update
Offside, Tottenham Hotspur Women. Jessica Naz tries a through ball, but Martha Thomas is caught offside.
83'Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
82'Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City Women. Mary Fowler replaces Khadija Shaw.
82'Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City Women. Jessica Park replaces Chloe Kelly.
82'Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City Women. Demi Stokes replaces Leila Ouahabi.
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Source: bbc.com