Chloe Kelly scored twice in the first seven minutes as Manchester City thrashed West Ham United to rise to second in the Women’s Super League.

Emma Snerle pulled one back for the visitors with a curling shot four minutes later but Laura Coombs’ header restored the hosts’ two-goal advantage midway through an all-action first half.

WSL top-scorer Khadija Shaw swivelled to score her 17th goal of the season after the break and Steph Houghton’s birthday goal made it five.

An unfortunate Khiara Keating own goal briefly reduced the deficit but City striker Mary Fowler scored her first WSL late on to complete the scoring.

City, who jump above Arsenal and Chelsea, now trail WSL leaders Manchester United by just three points. West Ham are eighth and remain winless in 2023.

Kelly shines in sparkling City performance

Both Shaw and West Ham striker Viviane Asseyi had already headed very good chances over the bar before Kelly punished a Hawa Cissoko mistake to give the home side the lead.

The defender let the ball under her foot and Kelly reacted quickly to surprise and wrong-foot goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold with a first-time effort from 30 yards.

She added a second straight from kick off, cleverly letting Shaw’s pass run across her body and thumping the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the box.

The City number nine also had a hand in three of the other four goals.

The exception was the third, scored by an unmarked Coombs after Lauren Hemp’s excellent cross from the right.

But it was Kelly who played in Kerstin Casparij to set up Shaw, her left-wing corner that Alex Greenwood flicked on for Houghton to tap in at the far post and her right-swing corner that was nodded in by Fowler.

Only a brilliant save from West Ham goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, tipping her thunderous long-range strike around the post, denied Kelly a hat-trick in a magnificent display.

More to follow.