Nikita Parris opened the scoring early on from the penalty spot after Lauren Hemp was brought down in the area.

Defender Gemma Bonner tapped in the second shortly after the half-hour mark and Parris got her second with a header to make it 3-0 before half-time.

England captain Steph Houghton went close to adding a fourth from a second-half free-kick which curled wide.

City remain a point above the second-placed Gunners, who have a game in hand.

But both of the top two's hopes of securing European qualification were boosted as third-placed Chelsea were beaten at home by fourth-placed Birmingham City.