Manchester City defeated Everton 2-1 to climb to the top of the Women’s Super League table.

City picked up where they left off in their first match since defeating Chelsea last month, with goals from Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp taking them three points clear of Emma Hayes’ side, who play Leicester on Sunday.

It is now 12 victories in a row in all competitions for Gareth Taylor’s City, who were pegged back by a fine strike from Hanna Bennison but deserved the three points.

Taylor named an unchanged side from the 1-0 victory over Chelsea while Everton were dealt a blow ahead of the match when captain Megan Finnigan was ruled out by illness.

City were in the ascendancy from the start and Justine Vanhaevermaet had just produced a fine block when, with 15 minutes gone, she got her feet in a muddle and, in attempting to pass the ball to keeper Courtney Brosnan, instead presented it to Shaw.

The prolific City striker had no hesitation in accepting the gift, slotting the ball calmly beyond Brosnan.

The Everton keeper was a busy woman, keeping out a header from Hemp moments later that surely would have been a goal had it not been straight at Brosnan before denying Chloe Kelly.

Everton had barely been an attacking force at all but they were presented with a golden opportunity in first-half injury time when keeper Khiara Keating fluffed her clearance straight to Rikke Madsen.

The Dane had a clear sight of goal but snatched at a shot and the ball rolled into the arms of the grateful Keating.

That proved to be Madsen’s final contribution, with Martina Piemonte sent on for the second half and she needed only four minutes to test Keating, meeting Heather Payne’s cross at the far post.

Shaw headed over Hemp’s cross at the other end before, with 55 minutes on the clock, the hosts doubled their lead.

Hemp picked up the ball wide on the right just inside the City half and drove towards the box before curling a shot from 25 yards that beat Brosnan and nestled in the bottom corner.

That appeared to wrap up the points but five minutes later Everton unexpectedly found a response, with City paying for not clearing their lines when Bennison sent a precision shot from 25 yards in off the underside of the bar.

Shaw then headed over again and City almost added a third in the 90th minute but Brosnan produced a brilliant stop to tip over Laura Coombs’ dipping effort.