\n<\/p>\n
LONDON \u2013 Manchester City\u2019s Lauren Hemp struck the winner as her side beat \u200cLondon City Lionesses 2-1 away in a thrilling top-of-the-table clash in the Women\u2019s Super League on Sunday, with Hemp\u2019s decisive goal coming just after the Lionesses had equalised.<\/strong><\/p>\n The win briefly put City into first \u200bplace but Chelsea reclaimed it later in the afternoon with a 6-0 thrashing of \u200bbottom side Charlton Athletic, who are still searching for their first point \u2060of the season.<\/p>\n Led by two goals from French striker Melvine Malard, Chelsea went back \u200bon top of the standings with 22 points after eight games, ahead of Manchester City \u200bon goal difference, with London City third on 16 points.<\/p>\n The Lionesses had plenty of success with their high pressing in the first half but wasted the chances that came their way, and they were punished eight \u200bminutes into the second half when Bunny Shaw rounded keeper Mary Earps and kept \u200ba cool head before blasting the ball high into the net.<\/p>\n Jana Fernandez equalised for the home side \u200cwith a \u2060brilliant glancing header from a corner in the 72nd minute, but she undid her good work just over two minutes later when she allowed Hemp to steal past her to stab home a cross from Mary Fowler for the winner.<\/p>\n In the other early kick-off, Arsenal\u2019s \u200bunderwhelming start to the \u200bseason continued when \u2060they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Aston Villa, with Alessia Russo scoring the equaliser in the 85th minute to \u200bavoid another embarrassing defeat.<\/p>\n Tottenham Hotspur thumped Birmingham City 4-1 away to \u200bmove up \u2060to fourth and bring a run of three straight league defeats to an end, while West Ham United secured an impressive home victory over Liverpool with the same scoreline.<\/p>\n Brighton & Hove Albion \u2060continued their \u200bsolid start to the season with a 2-1 win \u200bover visitors Crystal Palace that put them sixth in the table on 11 points, one behind Manchester United, who played \u200bout a scoreless draw with Everton on Saturday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n