Women's Super League Everton 2 Manchester City 1 Full time

Manchester City missed the chance to close the gap on Women's Super League leaders Chelsea as Everton beat them in the league for the first time.

First-half goals from Lucy Hope and Honoka Hayashi stunned a City side that enjoyed 79% possession in the opening 45 minutes, earning Everton a first-ever victory against City in the WSL following 16 straight defeats.

Everton's defensively minded set-up was obvious from the start, and it proved effective as City struggled to breach a stubborn backline.

After a set-piece had been cleared, City's defence failed to reset and Lucy Hope was left completely unmarked to convert Sara Holmgaard's cross with a glancing header into the bottom corner.

That goal seemed to encourage the hosts and just eight minutes later they doubled their lead following a quick break. City's defence had shifted over to the right, leaving Hayashi completely unmarked to beat Khiara Keating with a deflected strike.

Everton should have scored a third before the break, but Toni Payne fluffed her lines when attempting to round Keating before the foot of the City goalkeeper denied Katja Snoeijs.

Centre-back Alanna Kennedy was replaced by attacker Lily Taylor at half-time and immediately City looked sharper.

The 18-year-old - who scored her first goal for the club on her first senior start as City beat St Polten in the Champions League on Thursday - found Jill Roord with a dangerous low cross but the Netherlands international could not convert on the stretch.

Everton retained their threat on the counter and Toni Payne surely would have scored were it not for Casparij's last-ditch block.

There were a few nervy moments for the Toffees in the second half - Murphy fired over with a snatched shot before Mary Fowler swiped at Chloe Kelly's teasing cross - but in truth the hosts were never seriously troubled.

Fowler pulled a goal back from the penalty spot late on after Karoline Olesen brought down Yui Hasegawa, but Everton held on for a famous victory.

City could have moved within three points of league leaders Chelsea following their 1-1 draw with Leicester on Saturday, but the defeat leaves them six points adrift.

Everton's second win of the season moves them up to ninth in the standings.

'They're doing the best they possibly can'

Before Sunday's match City boss Gareth Taylor refused to use his side's growing injury list as an excuse if they were to lose, but it is clear City missed the likes of Khadija Shaw, Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood on Sunday.

While Everton must take huge credit for their performance, Shaw and Greenwood would surely have given City more cutting edge.

"We looked a bit flat today, we looked like a team that has played quite a few games recently. We didn't seem to have much energy in the team," Taylor told BBC Sport after full-time.

"Any team would miss the likes of Viv [Miedema], Alex [Greenwood] and Bunny Shaw. It's tough for us, I'm sure Bunny would have had a big say in a game like that, but it is what it is. The team are doing the best they possibly can.

"We'll have to get the guys together tomorrow, see where the bumps and bruises are and see what team we can put out [against Barcelona on Wednesday]."

With Chelsea unexpectedly drawing with strugglers Leicester on Saturday, this feels like a big opportunity missed for City.

City's big-hitters should all be back in action when the WSL returns in January, but overturning a six-point gap when Chelsea have dropped just two points in 10 games could be too big of an ask.

Everton plan works to perfection

The gameplan of Everton coach Brian Sorensen could not have worked much better, with his players frustrating City's advances before hitting them with fast counter-attacks.

The Danish manager had his midfielders drop deep to reduce space and deny City gaps to exploit.

Meanwhile, with their full-backs Kerstin Casparij and Leila Ouahabi pushed so high up the pitch City looked light at the back, and as the first half progressed Everton looked to exploit that by breaking at pace.

"We want to play entertaining, good football, that's what we try to do," Sorensen said after the game.

"But other times we can see a game out and be defensively organised and strong, the girls can do their jobs. That's what we had to do today."

With Sorensen hoping that reinforcements are signed in January, a few more strong performances like this could pull Everton well clear of the relegation place before the final weeks of the season.