Brighton 1-4 Man City: Visitors run riot to go level with WSL leaders Chelsea

Manchester City produced a devastating display as they defeated Brighton 4-1 to move level on points with Women's Super League leaders Chelsea.

Lauren Hemp, Mary Fowler, Khadija Shaw and Laura Coombs all scored for City before Geum-Min Lee pulled a goal back for Brighton in second-half stoppage time.

The visitors could have taken the lead within seven minutes after Alex Greenwood played a sublime cross that was met by Hemp.

Hemp, 23, forward tried to chip past Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley but it proved to be a comfortable stop.

Moments later, the Seagulls had their first real chance after Elisabeth Terland struck an effort from a tight angle that was saved by City keeper Khiara Keating, with the flag going up for offside regardless.

The hosts missed another big opportunity with Vicky Losada's excellent delivery past the halfway line finding Guro Bergsvand inside the box.

Bergsvand, 30, could not direct an effort on target, though, as City's Kerstin Casparij managed to clear the danger.

In the 27th minute, the visitors broke the deadlock when Jess Park played a defence-splitting pass to Hemp, who guided her left-footed shot past Baggaley.

Gareth Taylor's side found the target twice in quick succession as Greenwood met Fowler’s inswinging corner and her powerful header was cleared off the line by Jorelyn Carabali.

That was followed by Casparij producing a curling effort that forced Baggaley into a fingertip save at the near post.

Hemp then turned provider on 40 minutes when her left-footed cross was met by Fowler, who poked the ball into the bottom corner to double City's lead.

The second half started in familiar fashion as Hemp almost claimed her second of the match, curling a shot from the edge of the box that cannoned off a post.

City continued their dominance and Greenwood's whipped free-kick towards the back post was smartly saved by Baggaley.

With 21 minutes remaining, City claimed their third goal through Shaw after she met Yui Hasegawa's cross from the edge of the box.

Shaw's header from inside the area looped past Baggaley to give her a 17th league goal of the season.

City then launched another counter-attack and Fowler managed to cut inside the box to square the ball to Coombs, who slotted home from close range.

In stoppage time, a small lapse of concentration from the visitors gifted the hosts a consolation from a quick build-up that saw Veatriki Sarri's low-driving cross find Lee to scramble in.