Manchester City returned to winning ways in the Women’s Super League as superb strikes from Vivianne Miedema and Mary Fowler helped them to a 4-2 victory at Aston Villa.

Gareth Taylor’s side went into the fixture on the back of consecutive WSL defeats, including last Sunday’s 4-2 derby loss to Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium.

They had bounced back by beating United 2-1 in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday and were victorious again at Villa Park after initially falling behind to Chasity Grant’s sixth-minute opener.

Miedema punished a Danielle Turner mistake to equalise in the 28th minute, then put City ahead with a stunning finish seven minutes later.

Villa – playing for the final time under interim boss Shaun Goater, Taylor’s former assistant and City team-mate, before new boss Natalia Arroyo takes charge – got back on level terms through Laia Aleixandri’s own goal in the opening minute of the second half.

Fowler then hit a beauty of her own and Jess Park added a fourth for City, who move back into the Champions League places, up from fourth to second, six points behind leaders Chelsea, who host third-placed Arsenal on Sunday.

Villa almost paid for an error early in the contest when Sabrina D’Angelo’s kick went straight to City, the ball came to Miedema and her shot was deflected behind.

But moments after that the hosts had the lead as Grant got past Aleixandri as she collected Sarah Mayling’s ball down the right side, advanced into the area and slammed a shot past Ayaka Yamashita.

An attempt off target by Villa’s Kirsty Hanson followed before City started to find some rhythm, with Fowler and Jill Roord shooting over and wide respectively.

City then made the most of another Villa mistake to level as Turner misjudged a pass across the edge of her own area and Miedema slotted in.

After Aoba Fujino brought a save out of D’Angelo, Miedema then completed a swift turnaround with a spectacular finish, taking Fowler’s pass and curling a wonderful shot into the top corner from just outside the box.

It should have been 3-1 just before the break as Roord, unmarked right in front of goal, headed wide. Instead, seconds after the interval, the match was all square again as Hanson’s cut-back was diverted by Aleixandri into her own net.

It took City only eight minutes to regain the lead, this time Fowler producing something special as she sent a shot over D’Angelo and in.

Roord then again failed to get her header on target from a good position before Park made it 4-2 in the 62nd minute, prodding in from Kerstin Casparij’s cross.

Having had the chance to wrap up a hat-trick but headed into D’Angelo’s arms, Miedema was substituted as Khadija Shaw came on, making her return from injury, while new signings Kerolin and Aemu Oyana were also introduced for their City debuts.

Rachel Daly put the ball in the net for Villa in stoppage time but the flag was up for offside.