Manchester City twice came from behind to clinch a thrilling 4-2 victory over Arsenal and maintain their 100% record in the Women's Super League this season.

Lauren Hemp struck twice for the hosts at the Etihad Stadium, while Kerstin Casparij scored a brilliant goal with her first touch off the bench and Khadija Shaw added a late clincher, with Andree Jeglertz's team earning their fifth win in as many games.

Following a cagey start, Arsenal enjoyed a spell of pressure without truly testing Ayaka Yamashita, as Lotte Wubben-Moy headed wide.

City's first real opportunity saw Shaw shoot straight at Anneke Borbe, and though the Jamaica striker had the ball in the net in the 36th minute, her header was chalked out for a foul after she clattered the Arsenal goalkeeper in mid-air.

And, after Yamashita pulled off a fine save to thwart Emily Fox, Arsenal hit the front in the 43rd minute. Wubben-Moy nodded Alessia Russo's cross back into the danger zone, and following a touch from Yamashita, the ball deflected in off Lisa Baum's knee.

City were not even behind for four minutes, though, as in first-half stoppage time, Hemp saw her left-footed drive take a wicked deflection off Fox and spin past Borbe.

An injury to Mariona Caldentey represented another blow for Arsenal right before the interval, but they restored their advantage five minutes into the second half. City had already got away with one giveaway in a dangerous area before Yui Hasegawa lost possession to Russo, who curled a pinpoint finish into the far corner.

But once again, City came storming back as Casparij came off the bench in the 62nd minute and, just 65 seconds later, bent a beautiful first-time effort beyond Borbe.

All the momentum was with the hosts at that point, and after a big intervention from Leah Williamson kept Shaw out, Hemp showed great composure to collect Hasegawa's far-post delivery and slot home.

And City made the points safe with six minutes of the 90 left, as Aoba Fujino slipped a neat pass into Shaw, who wrong-footed Williamson with her first touch, then stroked home.

Perfect five for City as pressure mounts on Slegers

City have started a WSL campaign with five straight wins for the third time, having previously done so in their 2016 title-winning season (won first six) and repeated the trick in 2017-18 (won first seven).

Jeglertz's team have also won 15 straight home matches in the WSL dating back to last season, with only Chelsea ever enjoying a longer winning run on their own turf in the competition – a 22-game run from March 2022 to February 2024.

City's clinical finishing was the difference, as they hugely outperformed their tally of 0.92 expected goals (xG), which came from nine shots (five on target).

Renee Slegers' visitors had 16 shots and hit the target nine times, generating 1.59 xG, but seven saves from Yamashita – many of which were routine – helped City keep them at bay.

While City go into the WSL's international break two points clear of Chelsea at the summit, Arsenal – last season's runners-up – are already 10 points off the pace in 10th, only making a worse start to a WSL campaign in 2014 (four).