Tottenham Women fell to defeat as Pauline Bremer’s brace helped Manchester City maintain the pressure on Arsenal at the top of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League table on Sunday.

Two goals within the first five minutes set the tone for a dominant City performance that kept them within three points of the leaders.

The Citizens were gifted an early two-goal lead when poor defending allowed Ellen White to cut back for Bremer who took a touch and fired into left-hand corner.

Three minutes later White got her name on the scoresheet with a sublime low drive to double the lead and catch Spurs cold.

City could have had a third goal when White was found with space in the penalty area to shoot, but Rebecca Spencer produced a good save to deny the 30-year-old her second of the afternoon.

The hosts hit back as Rianna Dean was felled in the box and a penalty awarded, with the striker picking herself up and firing the penalty into the bottom left corner.

But seven minutes later City restored their two-goal lead as a searching ball down the left allowed Lauren Hemp to drive forward and she pulled a low cross back to Bremer and City's top-scorer made no mistake from close range.

White missed a good opportunity to further extend City's lead, but wouldn't regret it for long as Hemp grabbed her second by poking past Spencer just before half-time.

City posed less of a threat in the second half as White came closest when she struck the post on the hour mark, but the damage had already been done as the Citizens cruised to a comfortable victory.

Tottenham head coach Karen Hills said: "It's difficult to regroup after going two goals down.

"The players have to sometimes regroup themselves and it's about them learning from those experiences and working on themselves.

"Part of our journey is playing in these big games and learning from situations that you've got to deal with and overcome.

"[The] second half was positive. We gave them too much respect in the first half and [it's the] first time we've played them at this level and they're a fantastic side but losing two goals in quick concession put us on the back foot."

Tottenham: Spencer, Percival, Green, Davison, Graham (Ayane 75), Neville, Peplow (Quinn 46), Godfrey, Filbey, Dean, Worm (Mitchell 46).

Unused subs: Morgan, Schillaci, Leon, Addison.

Attendance: 1,056.

*To follow the action, buy tickets and sign-up for The FA Player's live Barclays FA Women's Super League coverage visit womenscompetitions.thefa.com.