Manchester City’s Women’s Super League title hopes have suffered a major setback with top goalscorer Khadija Shaw set to miss the rest of the season due to a broken foot. The Jamaica international sustained the injury in the final seconds of the first half and had to be assisted off the field by medical staff.

She was subsequently replaced at half-time by Chloe Kelly and was later seen on crutches wearing a protective boot. Manager Gareth Taylor commented on the decision not to risk Shaw’s return to the pitch, stating, “We decided not to take the risk, it was touch and go as to whether she was going to come back on the pitch.

We’ll get a bit more of an assessment tomorrow. She’s on crutches, which looks bad, but most of the players end up being offloaded in that situation.

We’ll just have to assess it. If it’s more serious than we anticipate, then we’ll deal with it.”

The absence of Shaw presents a significant blow to City’s title race with Chelsea, as she has been a key player and the top goalscorer in the league.

Shaw has had an outstanding season, scoring 21 goals and widening her lead in the WSL’s Golden Boot race by eight goals. Her impressive goal involvements have set a new record in the WSL, with her being the first player to achieve this feat in 10 successive matches.

City’s options in the No 9 position are limited, with Kelly and Hemp being able to operate in that role, although their best performances are usually on the wings. The records have fallen around Shaw since her arrival at the club, with her scoring a remarkable 69 goals in 81 matches, setting a club record in just her third full season at the club.

Her performances have been pivotal to City’s success, and her absence will undoubtedly be felt as they strive for the league title. Consider joining our new WhatsApp community to receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content and special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.

Read our Privacy Notice for more information.