The Scot met Ashley Lawrence’s cross with a textbook diving header that gave Man City keeper Khiara Keating no chance. Between Aggie Beever-Jones’ equaliser early in the second period and Cuthbert’s pivotal contribution at the end of it, Keating produced a string of great saves to keep us at bay. That meant by full-time there could be no complaints we were worthy winners.

It is a result that moves us a big step closer to the WSL title, while the performance after half-time will give Sonia Bompastor and her charges great confidence of overturning another deficit when we reconvene for the second leg of our Champions League quarter-final tie at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.

At the Etihad this afternoon it was the hosts who dominated the first 45 minutes, taking the lead through the dangerous Kerolin Nicoli. The Blues came out a different team after the interval, pinning City back and getting our reward within four minutes when Beever-Jones finished off a slick move.

Wieke Kaptein was twice denied, likewise Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, and Lauren James also went close, but there was still time for substitute Cuthbert to pop up with a match-winning moment of real quality!

Six changes

Bompastor made six changes to the team that started against City in midweek, bringing Lawrence and Niamh Charles into the defence, freshening up midfield with the inclusion of Kaptein, Oriane Jean-Francois and Maika Hamano, and adding Johanna Rytting Kaneryd to the attack. She was excellent today.

The contest started cagily, then burst into life in the ninth minute when the rapid Kerolin was released down the right flank - she looked in an offside position, but the assistant kept her flag down. Kerolin darted goalwards before meeting her match in Hannah Hampton, who stood tall and saved with her legs.

By the midway point of the first half we had established a foothold in the game, enjoying sustained spells of possession. It was on the break, however, that we looked the most threatening, deploying the speed and skill of James and Rytting Kaneryd on the flanks.

Kerolin causing problems

There was a scare just before the half-hour when Kerolin again broke free, this time from inside her own half. Thankfully Lucy Bronze, playing right centre-back today, was in the right place to stop the cross reaching an unmarked Vivianne Miedema.

However, the respite would prove temporary. Bright initially did well to hold Kerolin up as she threatened another dangerous run. Though several other white shirts retreated to help the captain out, no challenge was forthcoming, perhaps for fear of conceding a penalty. The Brazilian used the multitude of bodies between her and Hampton to disguise her finish, rolled through Bright’s legs and into the far corner.

Controversy abounded five minutes before half-time. Kerolin was brought down on the edge of the box by Bright and the referee whistled just before Jess Park’s deflected strike looped over Hampton and into the top corner. No goal, and City’s frustrations only heightened when Yui Hasegawa hit the top of the crossbar from the resulting corner. Perhaps it was the footballing gods balancing things out after a City player appeared to get in Hampton’s eyeline at the exact moment Kerolin shot for her goal.

Former Blue Laura Coombs turned a Kerolin pass wide, and we were certainly grateful to hear the half-time whistle when it arrived shortly afterwards.

Right back in it

Chelsea started the second period with purpose, James curling a well-hit strike into the grateful arms of Khiara Keating. Our reward for showing more positive intent was just around the corner.

It was a move Beever-Jones started and finished. She dropped deeper to collect the ball and feed Kaptein down our right, with the midfielder intelligently moving the ball on to Rytting Kaneryd first time. JoJo cutely cut inside her marker before finding Beever-Jones, who took one touch and fired into the far corner to level the scores up.

We so nearly completed the turnaround on 52 minutes. Rytting Kaneryd was again involved, intelligently cutting her cross back towards the penalty spot. Kaptein met it sweetly and only a superb Keating stop diverted the ball over.

Rytting Kaneryd then took matters into her own hands as she broke into the box, and was unfortunate to see a powerful strike clip the outside of the post and go wide. The Chelsea support behind that goal were in full voice now, emboldened by a whirlwind start to the second half.

Edging closer...

On the hour, sub Cuthbert superbly picked out an unmarked Rytting Kaneryd 10 yards out. Keating made herself big and just got a boot on the goalbound shot to turn it wide.

Bompastor sent on Mayra Ramirez and Keira Walsh for Beever-Jones and Jean-Francois. Walsh was immediately in the thick of things, guiding a half-volley towards goal that was hacked clear. Kaptein then couldn’t believe she hadn’t scored, Keating thrusting a left hand out to tip her sweetly-struck volley wide.

Twenty minutes remained when City threatened for the first time in a long time. Both Mary Fowler and Miedema missed their kick trying to convert an inviting centre.

Late drama!

With time running out, Rytting Kaneryd volleyed just wide on the spin following another dangerous James corner. It was her last involvement before being replaced by Mia Fishel, making her first appearance since the 5-0 win against Sunderland last February.

Keating was at her best again to thwart James, who had driven to the edge of the box and fired towards the bottom corner, before Fishel had Keating scrambling having steered a header goalwards.

It was all Chelsea as we entered six minutes of stoppage time, and in the first of those Cuthbert made the decisive contribution!

Huge credit must go to Lawrence, who bided her time before sending a teasing cross into the six-yard box. Cuthbert timed her run to perfection and met the delivery with a diving header that typified the Scot’s energy and enthusiasm. What a moment in front of the travelling support, and what a way to win a game!

What it means...

The Blues retain our eight-point advantage at the top of the WSL with 15 points still to play for.

What's next...

Tickets are still available for Thursday's huge Champions League quarter-final second leg against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge. We need to come back from 2-0 on aggregate and you can cheer on the team by being at the Bridge! Tickets are available here.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Hampton; Lawrence, Bronze, Bright (c), Charles; Jean-Francois (Walsh 63), Kaptein (Macario 87); Rytting Kaneryd (Fishel 87), Hamano (Cuthbert 55), James; Beever-Jones (Ramirez 63)

Unused subs Spencer, Bjorn, Baltimore, Nusken

Scorers Beever-Jones 49, Cuthbert 90+1

Booked Jean-Francois 33

Man City (4-2-3-1): Keating; Casparij, Prior, Aleixandri (c) (Wienroither 80), Layzell; Hasegawa (Murphy 80), Roord; Park (Ouahabi 89), Coombs (Fowler 58), Kerolin; Miedema

Unused subs Annets, Startup, Oyama, Davies

Scorer Kerolin 32

Referee Kirsty Dowle