December began with a visit from bottom of the table London Bees and Leicester were ahead within eight minutes at Farley Way Stadium.
A well-crafted move, which started in defence and worked its way up to Natasha Flint, was then emphatically finished by City’s No.20, who collected Remi Allen’s forward pass and curled a left-footed effort into the far corner.
Allen had her second assist of the game just over 10 minutes after the interval. She spread the ball out to the right and Paige Bailey-Gayle did the rest, stepping inside and finding a gap to shoot past Sarah Quantrill with her unfavoured left foot.
If Bailey-Gayle’s fourth goal in as many games didn’t secure the three points, then Millie Farrow ensured that it would be a third consecutive league victory for the Foxes late on.
Lachante Paul made a driving run down the left wing before her cross at the second attempt looped towards Farrow, who headed home from close range after coming on as a late substitute.
Three days later, Leicester were in Continental Tyres League Cup action away at Barclays FA Women’s Super League side Birmingham City. The visitors required at least a draw from the final group fixture to progress but were on the back foot when the Blues won a first half penalty.
Kirstie Levell saved Mollie Green’s spot-kick and despite several chances to win the game, it finished all square after 90 minutes at Damson Park. That took it to penalties to decide who would get the bonus point and qualify for the quarter-finals as group winners.
All 10 spot-kicks were scored, but in sudden death Connie Schofield’s penalty rattled against the bar, leaving Foxes midfielder Aimee Everett with the chance to seal progression.
She sent Hannah Hampton the wrong way to spark celebrations on the pitch, as Leicester put their name in the hat for the last eight for the first time in the Club’s history.
Attention quickly shifted back to league action and City produced a professional display in south London to dispatch Charlton Athletic 2-0 in difficult conditions.
The Addicks were holding out until Ella Rutherford’s 34th minute red card, creating a numerical advantage that the away side took full advantage of.
It did not take Flint long to then break the deadlock, with a ferocious first-time drive from distance that gave Eartha Cumings no chance after a clearance fortuitously deflected into her path.
The relentless pressure continued, but Charlton withstood wave after wave of Leicester attacks until 12 minutes from time when some Charlie Devlin trickery created the opening and her cross was met by Allen, who headed home a crucial second goal.
Leicester were clocking up the miles as they travelled to face Blackburn Rovers in a third straight away game and the final fixture before Christmas. It was a five-goal thriller at Bamber Bridge, but ultimately City would leave Lancashire with another victory.
Flint opened the scoring against her previous employers on 18 minutes as the Allen-Flint combination continued to bear fruit. Esmee De Graaf found the former Reading midfielder lurking on the edge of the area and in turn she picked out City's top goalscorer, who fired past Alex Brooks.
Another goal quickly followed as Bailey-Gayle’s cross cannoned off Rovers defender Kayleigh McDonald and into the net, before Georgia Walters reduced the deficit early in the second half.
Flint’s second arrived on the hour mark as she latched onto the end of a deft through ball from Devlin and made no mistake in slotting it underneath the ‘keeper’s grasp to score her sixth goal in three meetings with Blackburn during 2020/21.
There was to be a stunning second from Blackburn forward Walters, but it was Flint’s goals which earned a 3-2 win and assured Leicester of top spot heading into the winter break.