Jamaican star Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw made a triumphant return to the Manchester City Women’s team on Sunday, scoring in their 3-1 victory over Leicester City in the FA Cup fifth round at the Joie Stadium. The prolific striker, who sat out City’s midweek League Cup semi-final against Arsenal to protect her mental well-being following racist and misogynistic abuse online, returned to action in style.

City had released a statement last Tuesday condemning the online abuse directed at their record goalscorer and confirmed an investigation was underway. Shaw’s absence in the League Cup semi-final on Thursday was met with widespread support from the football community.

Despite starting on the bench, Shaw made an instant impact after being introduced in the second half. With Manchester City already 2-0 up thanks to goals from Leila Ouahabi and new signing Kerolin, Shaw sealed the victory 13 minutes after coming on with a well-taken finish. Nelly Las pulled one back for Leicester, but it was merely a consolation as City advanced comfortably.

Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor expressed his delight at Shaw’s return and performance, telling the BBC: “I think that will give her a lot of confidence. She’s coming out of a team in a time where you don’t really want that to happen, particularly when she’s coming back from injury as well.”

Shaw’s goal not only reaffirmed her importance to the squad but also signaled her resilience in overcoming adversity. With City chasing silverware on multiple fronts, her return to form could be crucial as they push for success in the latter stages of the season.