The 'mentality shift' that has helped Man City to top of WSL

Seven wins on the spin and top of the table once again - Manchester City are back in business in the Women's Super League.

Khadija Shaw's winner against Everton on Sunday meant City moved above Chelsea at the summit after the six-time defending champions dropped points in a 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Saturday.

And the Jamaica striker says there has been a "mentality shift" under new head coach Andree Jeglertz after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, which City ended fourth in the table to miss out on a place in the Champions League.

"We had a setback last year, no Champions League, and we sat down as a group at the end of last season and had an honest conversation between ourselves," said Shaw, who is the league's joint-top scorer with five goals.

"There's a mentality shift compared to last season. This season we just need the three points.

"Last season we fell short in a couple of the games but this season the mentality is the biggest thing."

City dropped points in nine games last season, and finished the campaign 17 points behind Sonia Bompastor's Chelsea, also failing to win any silverware.

It marked a sharp decline from the previous season, when City pushed Chelsea all the way in an enthralling title race - coming second only on goal difference.

Jeglertz appears to have reignited City's title ambitions.

They have not lost since their opening-day defeat by Chelsea, and have scored more goals (20) than any other team in the WSL this season.

"They've already taken advantage of Chelsea dropping points and now they're top of the table," former City striker Ellen White told BBC Two.

"Now it's about staying there. It's about getting three points. They're not in the Champions League. They're in all the other domestic cups. It's their chance to really grab the title and go all the way now."

Since arriving in July, Jeglertz has done more than introduce an energetic, high-pressing brand of football - he has reshaped the team's mindset.

"I think it's very important that we have so many good players," he told the BBC. "They have been through so many different things in their careers, they have so much knowledge and have won so much with this team.

"To bring everybody together so that everybody feels we are part of it, it's not just the head coach ideas and role. We are trying to build something so everyone feels 'this is Man City' and this is our team. Maybe that is one thing that has caused it."

City's free-flowing, attacking football may have faltered in their past two matches, but they have ground out wins over West Ham and Everton.

"Everton made them earn every ounce of that victory," ex-England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis said after Sunday's 2-1 win.

"If you want to go on and win a title you can look back at games like this one that could easily have snuck by you if you've not been as disciplined as Manchester City were.

"So albeit maybe not as comprehensive victory as onlookers would have thought, a very valuable one."

White added: "They had to get the job done. They had to get three points and capitalise on Chelsea dropping points against Arsenal."

Shaw's winner against Everton was her fifth goal of the season and the Jamaica striker - a two-time winner of the Golden Boot - once again leads the league's goalscoring charts, along with Manchester United's Melvine Malard.

The 28-year-old finished as the league's joint-top scorer last season with Alessia Russo on 12 goals, despite missing the end of the season with a foot injury.

Jeglertz will be hoping Shaw can stay injury-free as City mount another push for the title.

"I feel like we know what she can do," White said. "It's about being ruthless.

"I feel like a lot of their last few years has been about being possession-based, scoring the beautiful goals. This is a beautiful goal but it's about getting the job done and being clinical in front of goal."