It shows how quickly London City Lionesses have progressed that they were hugely disappointed with a narrow defeat by defending champions Manchester City.

For a team that were playing second-tier football 18 months ago, their lofty ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League suddenly don't seem farfetched.

London City looked like the better team for most of the afternoon at Hayes Lane but were given a harsh lesson by the visitors in how to be ruthless.

Manchester City needed goals from Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp against the run of play, but they dug in to win 2-1 and to continue setting the pace at the top.

Those goals came after countless opportunities went begging for London City, who ended the game having had 24 shots but only six on target.

The performance was enough, however, to show that London City are more than capable of competing with the WSL's elite.

The next question, is whether they can do it consistently.

London City Lionesses are a club who do things differently and, backed by US billionaire Michele Kang, they are not shy to disrupt the current order.

They are an independent women's football club who have spent big in the transfer window and agreed a record-breaking shirt deal with Nike believed to be worth more than £3m a year.

They have built their own training facility in Kent and persuaded superstars such as Alexia Putellas to join in the summer.

Spain international Putellas showcased her latest Ballon d'Or trophy - the third of her career - before kick-off on Sunday.

London City Lionesses are clearly no minnows, but even a squad full of superstars needs time to gel.

It was for this reason that people doubted whether they were ready this season to qualify for the Champions League and break the WSL's traditional top three.

But on Sunday's showing, they are not as far off as people thought.

Manager Eder Maestre said the team's performances are already at the level they want but results have not always shown that and they still have work to do.

"That's why it's a very frustrating situation. We were speaking a lot about respecting the identity and it doesn't matter the team that we were facing," the Spaniard said.

"The next step in that project was showing everybody that we can perform, while respecting that identity that we are trying to build on.

"That's why it's doubly frustrating, because I think the result was not the one we deserve. Manchester City are more mature.

"They are more used to it. When you have this consistency and you are very used to playing these kinds of games, maybe you have more experience.

"That's why we have extra nervousness in the moments that we need to be more clinical."

Where London City fell was where Manchester City stood tall.

Moments of brilliance by world-class players Shaw and Hemp delivered the goods and when London City's pressure grew, so too did Manchester City's resilience.

It is that consistency across 90 minutes, and the season as a whole, that Manchester City manager Andree Jeglertz believes will demonstrate the difference.

"They are a very good team and they really showed the highest level," said Jeglertz.

"What it means to be at the top of this league, is playing week after week, and at the same level - and finding different levels to win.

"That is what we have created. That's what everybody who wants to win something needs to be able to do. To contest, you need to compete for the whole season."

London City Lionesses are providing plenty of optimism on the pitch but even if they were to qualify for the Champions League this season, are they allowed to?

Current Uefa rules state that owners cannot have two clubs competing in the same competition meaning one of Kang's Lyon or London City Lionesses would miss out.

It is a dilemma that many have discussed but if they continue to perform so well, it could prove to be a problem earlier than expected.

"First of all, what we feel is important, is to be part of the conversation," London City's chief executive officer Martin Semmens told BBC Sport.

"The next stage is getting towards trophies. Our ambition is to be in Europe, to play in Europe every year, and to compete with the likes of Barcelona and Arsenal.

"We're probably one step behind that in squad development and all the other things we have to do. But on our day, we feel we can beat them."

London City's ambitions are clear - so what happens if they do qualify this season?

"I think Michele [Kang] has a really clear view and that is that she wants to see as much investment come into the women's game as possible," added Semmens.

"The men's multi-club ownership rules is about being careful not to have control over two clubs. We see it differently on the women's side.

"We want to see more investment, so we believe if you invest in more than one club, the game will accelerate faster.

"We truly understand and respect the rules, always. But there are logical, structured ways that we can compete in Europe next season."