Manchester City go top with 4-1 rout of Aston Villa

City are top of the table, two points clear of Chelsea, after running riot at Villa Park. Jade Rose broke the deadlock in the 14th minute, tapping in after Akane Okuma failed to deal with a corner, for her first goal of the campaign. Mary Fowler doubled the lead 15 minutes later, finishing off a move involving Lauren Hemp and Bunny Shaw with a low drive into the bottom corner.

Amalie Vangsgaard pulled one back for Villa in the 42nd minute, converting a pass from Chasity Grant to leave only a goal between the sides at the break. Villa had had the better of the opening half despite trailing, but City pulled clear again after the restart. Shaw scored her third of the season in the 73rd minute, and Hemp's stoppage-time effort was turned in off Mathilde Harviken to complete the scoring. Villa have now taken a single point from their opening two league games and sit 11th.

At the Emirates, Arsenal could not find a way past Crystal Palace despite dominating the ball. Kelly, who joined Arsenal in February, has three goals so far this season but was unable to add to that tally on this occasion.

If Arsenal continue to create chances at this rate without converting them, The Gap to City at the top could widen before it narrows.