Manchester City opened up an 11-point gap at the top of the Women's Super League in superb style as they claimed a rampant 6-0 win over bottom club Leicester City.
The top vs bottom clash was unlikely to bring up any surprise and that proved to be the case, with City four goals up at the break. But the league leaders were given a scare as Alisha Lehmann rattled the post early on for the visitors.
That chance only woke City up though as they worked out their main strength in Lauren Hemp's direct running, which brought two assists and six chances created. She set up the first for Bunny Shaw, who headed in her cross at the near post, before a double from Vivianne Miedema.
The Dutch forward drilled home a first from the edge of the box after Ashleigh Neville failed to clear her lines, before heading home another Hemp cross for 3-0. City made it four inside 38 minutes as Kerolin set up Yu Hasegawa for a simple fourth.
Leicester were hoping the floodgates had shut but they conceded a fifth three minutes after the break. Kerolin smashed a beauty into the top corner from distance, with the Brazilian claiming goal of the evening.
City then made changes - and even they started scoring. Leicester played themselves into trouble as Chantelle Swaby got caught in possession in the box, allowing Aoba Fujino to round the goalkeeper before smashing home.
Incredibly, it could have been much worse for Leicester - as Shaw, Hemp and Leila Ouahabi all missed close-range sitters - before Noemie Mouchon missed an even bigger one when she pounced on a City mistake and fired over with the goal gaping.
It rounded off an awful Friday 13th for Leicester - as City count down the days towards a WSL title.
Man City head coach Andree Jeglertz to Your Site:
"The ability to keep moving forward - even if we score three or four goals - the attitude from the players, the substitutions we keep on doing, it keeps raising the level and we keep on chasing more goals. That's what I'm mostly pleased with.
"I don't need to motivate these players. They are fully aware of where we are in the league and what we have done so far, even though the last weekend's game was not what we hoped for. They are really working hard every day and week.
"You can see the smiles on the players' faces during and before the game, we are in a good place. I don't need extra motivation for them.
"It's always going to be discussions around [this being City's year]. It's important for the players to deal with it. We are a group that every day is about becoming a little bit better, doing things a little bit better.
"We are never pleased, and we need to be happy what we have done so far, be proud of that. But at the same time being humble.
"There's still a long way to go, and have a confidence that if we play the way we play today, it will take us very far this season. We still know we can do even better in some parts of the game."
Leicester head coach Rick Passmoor to Your Site:
"Obviously we're really disappointed. I need to look at - not the players - but the coaches. Did we give enough information in the lead-up to the game? Did we prepare them enough? Did the players have enough conviction in those actions? We need to review it.
"Right now, it's really raw. Really raw. They've scored lots of goals this season. They beat Chelsea by five, they're a really good team. I've just got to check my emotions at the moment. Because we've got a big stage coming up from March onwards with the league programme. We have to make sure we're in the right place for the battle ahead.
"We've made a lot of progression, but today we have to look at the facts. There was a chasm between the teams and performance. So let's look at ourselves and make sure we're in a better place for the next league game."
If that's what Man City are like in a week after they've lost, what are they going to do to the rest of the league once they've strung a few more consecutive wins together again?
After the goalless blank at Arsenal in midweek, there was a slightly nervous feel to City at the start of this one. Defeat to the Gunners had set them back, or put them back in check. Amid the six-goal flurry tonight, it's worth remembering they nearly fell behind for a second game in a row when Alisha Lehmann struck the woodwork.
But City woke up and took Leicester apart in the space of 16 first-half minutes. It was a brutal display.
Lauren Hemp was undoubtedly Player of the Match. Her 93 minutes were outstanding. Eleven chances created, 11 dribbles attempted, 14 crosses completed and two assists - plus another one disallowed in stoppage time for another Bunny Shaw goal.
City reminded everyone why they are worthy champions elect.
