Manchester City kept their Champions League qualification hopes alive with a hard-earned win at Leicester.

Jess Park scored the only goal of the game after being found unmarked inside the box by Lauren Hemp, who was making her first appearance since 8 November after recovering from a knee injury.

The win moved Nick Cushing's side four points behind third-placed Manchester United, who will face leaders Chelsea on Wednesday before next weekend's Manchester derby.

There was further good news for the Citizens as defender Alex Greenwood, who has been missing from action since December after undergoing knee surgery, also made a substitute appearance.

But City were made to work for only their second win in five Women's Super League games by Leicester, whose top-flight status was preserved before kick-off as bottom side Crystal Palace suffered a 7-1 defeat by West Ham.

Up until Park broke the deadlock with 20 minutes left, the Foxes were hardly troubled by City, who had more at stake in the contest than the hosts.

Right-back Kerstin Casparij dragged a shot wide from a promising position early on before midfielder Laura Coombs' strike from 25 yards whistled past the post.

Lily Murphy also had a shot on the turn miss Janina Leitzig's goal by inches as the first-half ended goalless, with Cushing's side needing improvements in the second period.

Instead, it was goalkeeper Khiara Keating who had to bail out the visitors by denying Hannah Cain in a one-on-one situation.

But City finally broke through when Hemp, only on the pitch for 10 minutes, delivered a low cross made its way to the far post, where Park arrived unmarked to breach Leitzig's goal.

On a difficult but ultimately rewarding outing at Leicester, Cushing said: "We spoke about finding a way and we have to execute better. Small things matter, but I'm proud we found a way.

"Brighton was the same and Leicester, but we've found a way to make sure we're still mathematically in the Champions League run."

Leicester, though escaping relegation, are second from bottom and level on 16 points with Villa.

"It was great to know that we are safe so early. We wanted to focus on ourselves today and it doesn't change the objectives we have for the season, which is to count the points at the end of the season," said Foxes boss Amandine Miquel.

"We still have two games to go and we have to push as hard as we can to do better in the last two games."

Miquel's side wrap up their campaign with games against Palace and West Ham.

Though City's narrow win at Leicester kept their hopes of European qualification alive with two games of the season remaining, their fate could be sealed before their next kick-off.

If United, in third, do manage to inflict a first league defeat of the season on champions-elect Chelsea in midweek, it will be their local rivals who secure a top-three finish and European football, ending City's hopes.

And that would be a bitter blow for City, who only missed out on last season's WSL title to Chelsea by goal difference under Gareth Taylor but have since endured challenging times.

They have suffered a League Cup final defeat, a Champions League quarter-final exit and an FA Cup semi-final loss to United this term.

However, should United lose to the Blues, it will set up a tantalising derby between the two Manchester clubs at Old Trafford, where the visitors could cut the gap to third to one point heading into the final weekend.

"It's massive. It's a 50:50 game if Chelsea win on Wednesday," Cushing said.

"It'll be tough, but we can make it possible by winning games. I was disappointed we didn't get the three points against Everton, but it is what it is. We have to prepare for a difficult United game next week."

City finish their campaign against relegated Palace while United are up against second-placed Arsenal on 10 May.

But the City players will be eagerly watching on Wednesday, hoping Chelsea do them a huge favour.

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