No need to remind anyone what’s at stake here–top spot after 36 matches in the English Premier League. City need this win to retain realistic hopes of becoming champions of England for the first time since 1968. (No I wasn’t born then so I don’t remember it. But I have met people who do!)

Just over half hour to kickoff!

Here is your lineup for Manchester City (courtesy of www.mcfc.co.uk):

Hart, Clichy, Lescott, Kompany, Zabaleta, Barry, Y Toure, Silva, Nasri, Aguero, Tevez

No surprises here other than that Richards is not fit enough apparently to regain his position from Zab.

On the bench, the joker in the pack is of course Mario Balotelli, back from suspension. Would Mancini to bring him on? If Citu need a late goal, I would think so. A safer striking option amongst the subs is Edin Dzeko, along with Richards, keeper Pantilimon, midfielders De Jong and Milner, and free kick expert Kolarov. Plenty of options for Mancini.

And for the Red Devils, it’ll be De Gea in goal, Evra, Jones, Ferdinand, Smalling, Park, Scholes, Giggs, Carrick, Nani, Rooney.

Off the bench for United: Valencia, Young, Welbeck, Hernandez, Da Silva, Berbatov, Amos. Some quality there.

To recap this season’s prior meetings, United have twice defeated City by 3-2 scorelines, rallying from 2-0 down in the Community Shield after Kompany’s late slip to gift an injury time winner at Wembley, then again at Eastlands in January in the FA Cup Third round after Kompany had an early, controversial red card. Superb fight back that day by 10-man City from 3-0 down fell just short. In the league of course City ran rampant over United for that stunnning 6-1 victory at Old Trafford in the fall.

Not much of a surprise that United have gone for experience for this one with Ryan Giggs, 47, and Paul Scholes, 52, each getting the nod.

Andre Marriner is the ref tonight. Let’s hope this match plays out without too much controversy for him to sort out.

Keys to the game? Emotions are sure to be sky high with the crowd egging City forward as soon as possible, but the hosts need to be mindful of United on the break and avoid getting sucker punched for a counter-attacking goal. It looks likes United will be 4-5-1 and may concede a fair amount of possession, with little worry about getting beat in the air by Tevez or Aguero. That means City’s passing and runs off the ball must be at their slickest, most incisive best.

Generally I would think the longer United can frustrate City the more it helps them–a goal fest is probably more to City’s liking. But there’s really no prediction how this will go…stay tuned…kick off in ten minutes!

Once we kick off we’ll be posting updates every 5 minutes…follow along, or watch the match yourself and come back here for the kick by kick recap that will include all the little incidents and emotions you may have forgotten about….

…Looks like a beautiful spring evening in Manchester, this game will start in broad daylight before finishing under the stadium lights.

1st min. Okay, the players are on the field, some City fans doing what they hope is a warm-up Poznan cheer, Tevez pulls Rooney’s air, the fading sun creeps through the stadium. City in light blue of course, United in red, and City will kick this off. City start by playing it back to Hart who boots it down field. United hoof it forward and win possession and play down the left, Evra with a cross that is deflected behind for an early corner. Dangerous ball in and a bit of a goal mouth scramble but City do get it away…

2nd min. Now City have a goal kick as Nani loses it. United played it short, after the cross it fell to Carrick whose shot hit Kompany’s arms in front of his chest–never a penalty that.

3rd min. Hart comes to collect and City try to play it out of the back. Clichy’s pass is blocked but Ciy do get it back on the left. Now the hosts string a few passes together to calm the nerves a bit.

4th min. Throw in on the right. Zab loses it though and United come, they look well up for this. There’s a floated cross in from the right that gives Hart an easy catch, but his punt is over the touchline on the left. City’s midfield need to get control of things.

5th min. There’s the “Mancini” song–did you know he came from Italy to manage Man City? City now have it up to Silva, Clichy with a decent cross but Tevez is too short, and now Lescott must cut out Nani on the counter attack there, important intervention. Tevez comes back to his own half to win the ball…

6th min. Silva cuts in and shoots but it’s blocked by Smalling, Silva again puts it out to Clichy, his shot/cross is deflected and it’s a corner kick….Silva to take from the right, left-footed, good ball in but United clear it. Lescott had it back but his ball for Silva runs out of bounds.

7th min. City now with a throw from the right after United’s attempt to break is dealt with. Toure is trying to make himself available at all times for the easy ball. Aguero with a touch but he can’t find a way through, Rooney now with it down the right…

8th min. Worked around to Giggs on the left, over to Carrick and Scholes, now Evra , another cross, another block by Zab, another corner kick…

8th min. Nani to take this one in-swinging from the left side. Kompany clears but United have it again, Rooney with a cross, SMalling with a header but Kompany blocks that with ease.

9th min. United still applying pressure that is finally relieved is Nasri comes over to clear it off a United play.

10th min. Zab with a throw, Tevez goes down but no foul, Nani tries to shoot from 30 yards but it balloons well over the bar.

11th min. City now with a throw on the left half way, Clichy looks and looks and fins Aguero, another throw 10 yards farther up, City play it over to Zab. Barry recovers the ball and there’s a foul on Scholes given 45 yards from goal or so. Toure stands over the ball, plays it short, and City try to keep the ball a bit.

12th min. Toure almost loses it there but Lescott beats Rooney to the ball, Zab now with a ball to Tevez, it comes back to Barry but his pass to Tevez is cut out and Barry is called for a little push on Evra.

13th min. Rio to take this one and he’s taking all day with it before finally moving the ball back a few yards. He ends up playing it back to De Gea. Zab now fouls Rooney inside City’s half.

14th min. Free kick then and United are content to put it on the floor and pass–but not for long as Rio aims a rather pointless long ball forward that it ends up as a goal kick. Hart takes from the middle of his goal area, throw in on the left after that header, Clichy to take…

15th min. HE throws it up to Aguero but he can’t do anything with it and it’s a throw the other way. Jones takes it but Toure does well to beat Park to that ball and City have it again. Nothing is coming easy though, City will have to play really well to win this one feels….

16th min. Nasri cuts in, sets up Tevez on the touchline, he cuts it back but Jones clears it–best move of the game by either side, Nasri went through three players on that dribble. Lescott now fakes out Rooney on the back pass, before deciding to back pass anyway to Hart.

17th min. Rio has it now as United play it out of the back. Lescott clears that ball forward but United recover and start again.

18th min. As David Platt predicted pregame, it’s a bit cagey so far but the onus is clearly on City to put the ball in the net. United will be happy with a 0-0. Zab’s ball in is dealt with, but City are establishing the lion’s share of possession after the early jitters.

19th min. Nasri to Silva and back again, Silva to Toure whose ball is cut out. Nani has it, sweeping ball to Giggs on the left, his cross is cleared crucially by Toure…

20th min…and a yellow card has been given for Kompany for what looked like a routine honest challenge on Rooney. Very very soft that one. Rooney did go down but the replay didn’t show anything wrong with the chalenge.

21st min. That may affect Kompany’s ability to play his normal game, we’ll see, but if that’s a yellow this game will be 5 a side by the time this over. Maradona in the crowd to see his son-in-law Sergio!

22nd min. Zab to Barry to Nasri to Silva to Toure to Tevez to Clichy, Teves, Nasri, Tevez, Clichy, nice ball to Nasri, he crosses but there’s no one there, Zab now with a cross that is nodded behind for a corner kick.

23rd min. This corner is from the left, Nasri takes, and the initial ball is deflected high in the air by Evra before going behind off Kompany for a goal kick.

24th min. Barry is fouled near midway and City restart play, good pressure by United means nothing is available for very long or very far. But City have increasingly adjusted to the tempo, Clichy now with a terrific run, sets up Aguero, he tried to sneak through a couple of defenders in the box to shoot but must settle for a corner. Nasri takes…

25th min…it short to Silva, after his cross is only half cleared by Rooney, it’s nodded by Lescott over to Aguero whose shot is miles off target. Difficult chance that but a good one.

26th min. Goal kick now for United as the sun steadily sets. Still no sign of whose game this will be in Manchester. Throw in now for United down the right.

27th min. Good hustle by Park there to try to win a corner off Lescott down in the corner but it doesn’t work, goal kick for HArt.

28th min. He tries the right side this time, Zab with a good flick to Nasri but City lose it. United try to pass it out of the back. Clichy with a hoof forward but United claim it at midfield, Scholes now cuts in and United try to set up shop.

29th min. Good work by Barry wins it back and City come down the right, Nasri with a good move to free himself for a cross but United deal with it easily. Toure now wins it off Jones, AGuero on the edge fo the box, Toure skews his shot, but it falls kindly to Nasri…

30th min. Silva nw dances through, over to Nasri for a short cross from the right edge of the box as City keep up the pressure, but United are coping so far with every cross, including two in the last minute by Nasri.

31st min. Rooney and Lescott exchange pleasantries (really), United win a throw down the right side.

32nd min. Carrick to take, to Park, who loses it over the endline for a City goal kick. Crowd are hanging on every kick and so is this blogger. Silva collects the long goal kick and City establish possession.

33rd min. Barry now takes the space, finds Nasri but his chest trap is intercepted by United as the ball lands. City have it back soon enough before Tevez is called for a little trip on Carrick.

34th min. Lescott hoofs it forward, United clear it all the way behind for a goal kick. Game is starting to get more chippy over challenges, United apparently complaining about a Tevez challenge that got all ball.

35th min. Barry to Hart, his clearance at a low trajectory is headed straight back to him. Jones now fouls Clichy, the crowd calls for a card because Clichy went flying but the players get on with in on the ground. Nasri down the right, brilliant one-two with Barry, the cross falls to Aguero but his shot goes wide–looks like that was probably a corner but none given.

36th min. Zabaleta with a chance but he and Aguero inadvertanyl get in each other’s way at the penalty spot! No fault for either players there, Zab was trying to stay with it unaware Aguero had gotten into a good position.

37th min. Each time have a counter cut out and City have it again.

38th min. Barry to Silva, but United get it and pass it back to the keeper. Toure wins it through the center circle, finds Nasri on the right, tevez, Toure, Zab on the right, Toure, Barry, Nasri, Barry, Zab, Toure,Zab, good cross , Jones heads it out to Clichy whose hard second cross is caught by De Gea.

39th min. Patient possession there by City. Kompany now pressured into a back pass to Hart whose kicking is a little off today, that one is over the touchline.

40th min. Rooney with a cross field ball to Nani, he cuts in to Rooney, Jones with a cross but Zab clears it, Tevez, now throught he middle, to Toure, Aguero, he dribble and cuts but can only get a blocked shot off–corner kick. That was a real opening created by Tevez winning that ball.

41st min. Nasri puts it in the mixer and United deal with it. Kompany involved with Scholes on the scramble, United break and after a dangerous ball from Rooney is half-cleared win a corner through Giggs down the left.

42nd min. Nani plays a short one into the box that Park blast off the ground, scooping it well over with his left foot.

43rd min. Clichy up the left side now, he and Silva stay out of each other’s way just, Nasri down the right, Clichy wih the throw. Toure and Clichy, Kompany, Nasri, Aguero goes down but now foul is given, United have it away.

44th min. But not for long as Park slips. Can City get something before halftime? Zab probes, lays it out to Nasri who comes to the edge of the box. Toure now with it as City work right to left, Tevez with a little ball into the box blocked out for a throw, but City keep it. Zab goes one-two with Nasri, has to work to get it back, Clichy how on the left after that cross field ball from Silva…

4th min…and City continue to patiently probe. Nasri, Zab, the cross in skews off Evra for a corner kick down the right. Silva to take.

46th min. United head it out but Silva gets it back, Nasri crosses from the byline, corner kick again. Silva to Kompany who scores!!!!! GOAL!!!!!! 1-0 City!

47th min. Kompany rose above everyone, Silva put it in the perfect spot, and the skipper made no mistake in burying it with his big noggin. Hart has to venture out of his box to clear that one as the half plays itself out. Halftime!

At halftime, City’s possession and dominance have paid off–it’s 1-0 Manchester City and the stadium is rocking! Kompany looks determined leaving the pitch. This sets up a potentially great second half as United will have to come out of their shell.

On the goal, Smalling was the closest one to Kompany but I think it may have been Rio’s fault on the marking there–in any case two United players went with Lescott and space was left for Kompany to bury it.

Before we get too excited, remember United have tons of game-winning talent on the bench–Valencia, Young, Welbeck, Berbatov. Not sure Dmitar figures in today but two or three of the others I expect to come on at some point. As to City one would think there’d be no changes, just instructions to keep up concentration while continuing to push for a second. Zabaleta has been immense today and as long as it stays like this he won’t be coming off.

Okay–second half is upon us!

46th min. Giggs and Scholes have a chat as United prepare to kick this off, the night having gently fallen over the Eastlands. Kompany with an early header and Aguero comes forward. Barry pops it into Aguero but he loses it, Rooney with a ball for Nani that is errant, City throw on the left.

47th min. Clichy’s long throw is dealt with and after some back and forth United have a throw at half way. Jones to Nani who nicely turns, City work it over to Evra who heads for the corner. Scholes, Jones switching field,s Nani, Jones, Smalling, Scholes, Carrick, Evra, Giggs, Zab intervenes and it’s a United throw.

48th min. Kompany clears it away Scholes just beats Barry to that pass and Nani has a chance to cross–off of Lescott for a corner kick on the right. Giggs prepares to take..

49th min. Hart went for it and just barely got a paw to it, it goes across the other side. Replay shows that was an important touch, Rooney might have had it, second ball is deflected by Clichy, then Zab boots it out. United get it back.

50th min. Nani attacks down the left, he fires it at Hart and surprisingly England’s #1 fumbles it, it’ll be a corner kick. Barry with a clearance after United tried their short corner routine. The visitors are trying to get back into this straight away. But here’s Tevez with it, Aguero, Zab, and it’s a City corner on the right.

51st min. Double our luck off the corner? Oh it was a good ball ther and Lescott appeared to have a chance at that but he can’t reach it as the ball flies by.

51st min. Double our luck off the corner? Oh it was a good ball ther and Lescott appeared to have a chance at that but he can’t reach it as the ball flies by.

52nd min. Nasri up the left side, Clichy, Narsi, Barry, Clichy, all on the left as yo might guess, Barry, Lescott, Tevez, Silva, Tevez, Zab, cross ricochets off Evra and City keep it Silva and Tevez miss the connection there.

53rd min. And now Toure with a silly yellow card he can’t believe he was called for a foul on Giggs after appearing to put his elbow out, and he slammed the ball on the groun in dissent. City need to keep the emotions in check here.

54th min. Zab to Tevez to Barry whose ball forward runs all the way through for a goal kick. Kompany steps forward with that clearance into the crowd.

55th min. City are dealing with things well enough but perhaps will want to press for a second before Alex Ferguson goes to that deep bench–Welbeck, a terrific finisher, is warming up.

56th min. City keep the ball for a spell, Hart with a clearance and there’s a foul by Smalling on Tevez just inside United’s half. Toure restarts to Tevez, Aguero has it at his feet briefly but it’s cleared for a throw. United now with decent play to get it out but City also do a good job and Lescott eventually has it back to Hart to clear.

57th min. Scholes, Carick now have it but Aguero steps in to take it away, Zab gets forward and wins yet another corner on the right. Great night for Pablo so far.

58th min. Silva goes near post on the corner, it’s partially cleared to Barry, who feeds Nasri for an improbable left footed shot that is well wide. There’s the sub–Park off, Welbeck on.

59th min. Kompany with an important clearance, Tevez tries to find Aguero, a heavy bouncing back pass to the United keeper and the visitors manage to hack it away. United get the throw too. Welbeck already causing problems but Clichy has the throw for City on the left. Now Nani fouls Barry and City will calm things down a bit.

60th min. Clichy to Aguero to Nasri to Tevez, to toure, to Clichy to Tevez to Toure cross field to Zab, Silva, Clichy, Tevez, Clichy, cross doesn’t reach anyone but after City recover Evra fouls Zab, maybe 30 yards from goal out on the right.

61st min. Silva stands over this, United with a header but Toure has it, now Kompany , Tevez, Toure, dangerous ball down the by line but De Gea has a kick save.

62nd min. Silva does well to win it back at midefiled, Aguero on the right, through the box, he tried a cute ball to Tevez but it didn’t work out.

63rd min. United now have it, here’s Jones down the right side, over to Evra, Tevez, Scholes, whistles and boos around the stadium as United keep it, but Lescott wins it back briefly. Here’s Nani…

64th min… decent cross from the right by Jones cut out by Lescott’s boot. Corner kick! Giggs to take on the right, Hart with a punch, then Barry with an authoritative header to clear it.

65th min. Nani to Rooney, he played the return ball but Kompany read it and stepped in to clear it. More United possession at the moment. Nani to Jones all kinds of time he had to cross but he played a terrible ball all the way to the other touchline. Let off for City.

66th min. De Jong is getting ready for City, Tevez is battling away but he may be about to come off.

67th min. Through ball towards Welbeck, Hart collects. He takes his sweet time and then punts one well forward, Aguero can’t quite get hold of it though and United will play from the back. Barry gets it back but must leave it to Kompany for a boot into the stands. No goals tonight for Carlos Tevez who has such a history in this fixture for both sides…

68th min…He’s off and DeJong is on. Toure presumably will play higher up the pitch in support of Aguero.

69th min. Giggs dances around, nice cross in the box, Clichy plays it off the chest to Hart. Well done!
Toure wins it up the right, into the box but it’s taken off of him. Jones now goes into the book for hacking down Barry after losing out. Barry is down on the ground.

70th min. A minute’s break here as Barry is treated.

71st min. De Jong restarts play on the ground to Silva., the ball is cleared by United to Hart who clears it back, and it ends up a United throw.

72nd min. City really need a second goal, one feels. Clichy hoofs one forward but United collect it again. Evra with a good ball, Roonye flicks it on, Lescott intervened. City now breaking it through Toure, he tries to blast one from 25 yards or so after a long dribble, well hit but always going wide.

73rd min. Zab leaps over Giggs but misses the ball on the goal kick, nothing given, it’ll be a throw to United on the left.

74th min. United work it around left to right but there’s a foul given against United and Hart will take this free kick. A long boot towards Toure, United get it away and Kompany plays it back to Hart for another boot.

75th min. Toure does really well to win the ball but there’s a foul by Scholes. City start it up down the left side after a test exchange of opinions between Yaya and Scholes.

76th min. City keep possession well, Nasri tou Toure, Aguero turns and shoots in the box but it’s blocked. De Jong takes out Welbeck on the other end and yes, that’s a yellow card. A little harsh and now Alex Ferguson and Mancini are having words on the touchline!

77th min. Mancini is upset that Alex was asking for a card.

78th min. Replay shows that was a foul on De Jong but Welbeck definitely went for the theatrics. Meanwhile Aguero gets it in the box, cuts in and shoots at a tight angle–side netting only. United now replace the Ginger Boy with Valencia. Scholes out, Valencia in. Carrick now is booked for that challenge on Barry near halfway.

79th min. Wow this is a tense and stormy environment, emotions could easily spill over. Let’s see if City have the self-control to see this through. Barry is treated again and City will have to play with 10 for a moment or two.

80th min. Barry pops back on in time to win that clearance, Aguero loses it and fouls Jones, here come United. Evera tries to beat Zab down the left, Zab however gets it out for a throw in the corner not once but twice. Rooney now called fo a high kick on De Jong’s head.

81st min. Barry to Silva to Clichy to Aguero as City keep it. Toure with a poor pass there into space, goal kick United.

82nd min. Zab with another header, here comes Toure, he turns the ball this way and that ands up shooting left foorted from the edge of the area, it’s just a yard wide. He opted to call his own number there rather than try to find Aguero.

83rd min. Silva off, Micah Richards on for City. Ashley Young on for Nani. City are trying to lock this one down. Goal kick is controlled by Valencia, Giggs now with it, and United push it around the horn. Zab in the thick of it but is called for a little foul on Young.

84th min. Young stands over it 35 yards out, Barry with the clearing header, Lescott gets it away, might have been a push on him there but nothing givnen, and City are able to get it all the way in the corner where Toure talks to a smiilng Mario Balotelli for a moment.

85th min. Lescott with an interception, City have it in the box, Nasri keeps it from Rio for ages and it ends up a City throw. Nasri will take the throw.

86th min. United try to get it out of the back but can’t and City have a throw in an attacking area on the left. Aguero tries to squirm through two defenders and wins a foul from Jones. Free kick just a few yards outside the box on the left.

87th min. Nasri puts it in the box, cleared, but Barry does well to cut out the clearance. United again cough it up over the side.

88th min. Zab to throw it from the right. Toure pushes it forward, Nasri, Zab, clichy with a shot, saved by De Gea, he tries to play in Aguero, cleared, into Aguero again but he’s offside. Nice save by De Gea on that shot after Zab’s cross ran all the way through to the attacking left back.

89th min. Jones now to Valencia back to Jones, good ball to Welbeck, he’s forced out of the box by good City pressure, Zab clears and City break, Toure with a great recovery of that ball, into the box to Nasri, and he can’t get the shot off 10 yards from the box!

90th min. That was a real chance for City. 5 minutes of injury time ahead. Richards fouls Giggs, taken quickly, Young fights off Zab, United still have it, Jones tries to find Welbeck but it runs out for a goal kick.

91st min. Replay shows Nasri should have done better–he just need to toe poke instead of taking an extra touch.

92nd in. Aguero wins it and City keep it. Toure dribbles through a couple of players and is brought down for a foul. Clichy stands over it. Lots of singing in the stadium as you’d imagine.

93rd min. Nasri tries to play it in but United get it, now Clichy slides in to clear it. Halfway through injury time now. Milner now comes in for Nasri as City use the last sub.

94th min. United get it forward, De Jong wins it, Richards tried to burst out of the back but isn’t allowed to, and City end up hoofing it into the crowd. Evra with the throw, Carrick, now Giggs, Evra, off Zab, corner kick!

95th min. Final minute. City must clear this corner. Young to take, near post and Clichy clears it, he thinks it should be a City throw but United have it, Rooney is clear and shoots but it’s blocked, the ball comes back in high and Hart is fouled as he tries to catch that. Smalling undercut him there. Hart needs a bit of attention.

96th min. Really that shouuld be the game, as soon as Hart is well enough to kick the ball back into play. Kompany will take it–and there it is final whistle!!! 1-0 CITY!!!!!!!!

That’s your final score!!!!! Manchester City are top! Blue Moon has Risen!

The entire crowd stay to sing!

5 minutes on and no one has gone home! They’ve all stayed to sing a couple of verses of “Hey Jude.” (A tribute to Everton’s contribution to City’s recovery in the title race?) Now it’s Oasis, postmatch interview with Gareth Barry. “Massive,” he says. Yes, you could say that!!! And with that we’ll be signing off….

Man of the Match: Zabaleta.

City and the Toffees do battle tonight at Goodison Park as City seek to remain atop the league. Read on for a minute-by-minute account of the action from a (light) Blue perspective!

Courtesy of City’s official site, here are your lineups for this contest:

City: Hart, Richards, Kompany (back from suspension), Lescott, Clichy, Barry, Milner, Silva, Nasri, Dzeko, Aguero.

On the bench: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Savic, Kolarov, de Jong, Razak, Johnson. (No strikers on the bench.)

Everton: Howard, Baines, Heitinga, Neville, Hibbert, Drenthe, Gibson, Cahill, Fellaini, Donovan, Stracqualursi

Not long ago these clubs were close competitors but this season City are 28 points clear of Everton, who find themselves in
14th place, just seven points clear of the relegation zone. No one at this time seriously thinks Everton could go down, and the Tofffees traditionally have given City fits, home and away. But this is the sort of match City must pick up maximum points from to retain their lead over United to the finish line in the league race. United are home to Stoke City tonight and the likelihood is that if City lose tonight, they’ll find themselves level on points with just fifteen matches remaining.

Here we go! City are in black and red, Everton in blue. City will kick this off.

1st min. Long ball by Clichy to Aguero in the right corner skips out of play and Everton have to throw it out of their own back. City get a throw and begin passing it around the back. But now Dzeko is fouled some 35 yards from goal, free kick.

2nd min. City take the kick and pass it over to the right, but Milner loses it out of bounds. City quickly get another throw on the same side, however.

3rd min. Kompany almost a little too light with that pass but Lescott gets there. Dzeko over to Milner in the right corner but the midfielder was offside. City fans singing about being the best team on the moon. And in England too?

4th min. Big news on transfer front today is Pizarro is expected to join City on loan while Wayne Bridge has gone on loan to Sunderland. Saha meanwhile is not at this match but in London getting ready to join Spurs. More City keep-ball.

5th min. Clichy takes up an advanced position down the left but can’t get by the defense. Everton with a throw into the right corner, Lescott makes a little hash of if and it’s a corner for the home side. Boos for Lescott on everyy touch. Lescott clears the corner off the line! Stracq claimed it was in, but replay shows it wasn’t! Close call!

6th min. Barry to Silva to Richards, who shoots at a tight angle from just 6 yards–saved by Howard! Kick save out for a corner. Great move by City. Silva finds Lescott at the back post but his soft header is claimed by Howard.

7th min. Some good action early in this contest. Kompany with a great ball on to Silva’s head who nods it on for Dzeko, but he can’t get a shot away.

8th min. Milner with a cross that’s cleared. Nasri to Aguero to Clichy to Dzeko who loses it just outside the box on the left.

9th min. Fellaini takes it down the left and finds support before losing out. Nasri pulls it forward and City set up shop in Everton’s half, and will get another throw down the right. Bright start to this match from both sides.

10th min. Richards wins a throw down the right, then Milner is pushed down but there’s no call! Stracq was the man with the header for Everton a few minutes ago that nearly went in, and now he has another header that falls easily on one hop into Hart’s hands.
11th min. Silva now feeds Milner, great ball, Dzeko swings over it, then Clichy makes a hash of his shot! That easily could have been a goal, not sure why Dzeko didn’t get that one as it whizzed through the box.

12th min. City keep it but don’t do much with it.

13th min. Lescott thuimps one forward and Everton seems content to boot it right back to City. The home team is conceding quite a bit of possession.

14th min. Passing practice for Kompany et all then. But here comes City down the left for another patient buildup. Silva with a good cross to the near post but Howard makes the catch, Dzeko was in the vicinity but not particularly close to getting on to the end of that one.

15th min. City get it back in a matter of seconds. Long ball forward nearly falls to Aguero but Everton get it away. Drenthe comes forward on the left, goes down, but there’s no foul given against Kompany.

16th min. Replay shows that was a blatant dive and Drenthe should have been booked. City come again and win it in Everton’s half through Nasri.

17th min. One feels if City can get the first goal they could win this handily. Milner has it taken off his toes on the edge of the box, Barry then wins it back and tries the through ball but Dzeko can’t get there.

18th min. When these teams played early in the year, it was goalless for about an hour before Balotelli came on to score the first goal and send City on its way. Balotelli is suspended tonight, of course. Donovan takes a corner from the left that Dzeko clears near post. Drenthe now dribbles in the box and Dzeko takes it off him. City break, Dzeko comes forward and gets a shot in that is deflected for a corner.

19th min. City attack the corner from the right but it files right to Tim Howard.

20th min. Richards and Drenthe tangle, and the kick will go Everton’s way this time.

21st min. Good ball from the back to Milner, played over to Clichy whose cross is taken well off his line by Howard.

22nd min. Aguero plays a nice reverse ball over to Milner, who gets into the box and opts to cross back post rather than shoot. Put out for a corner.

23r min. Hibbert clears it near post, City have a throw on the left. Fellaini wins the ball, and comes forward, Milner called for a foul but Everton waste the free kick–then City play a long ball up to Aguero who drags his shot wide left footed!

24th min. Best chance for City yet there, Aguero did well to set up space for that shot from just outside the area.

25th min. Everton commit a foul near midfield. City set up shop yet again. Dzeko flicks on Lescott’s ball and it’s cleared out for a throw by Everton.

26th min. Kompany with an ambitious ball into the right channel, Aguero chases it down but it’s played off him for a goal kick for the home side.

27th min. Again, City have a chance here to sieze this game by the throat. Everton are not providing that much of a threat so far though one must be careful.

28th min. Milner to Richards in the box, he tries to get around Baines but it’s knocked out for a throw. Milner now with a cross from deep near the corner, Dzeko gets a head on it but it pops weakly in the air for Howard to take.

29th min. Milner loses it near the edge of the box, perhaps a foul there but none given and play goes on. City have it back soon enough.

30th min. City really controlling midfield her but as is often the case the chances are not easy to come by.

31st min. Aguero to Clichy, back to Aguero, he tries get it around Neville but the EVerton man holds firm and the Toffees get it away. Baines on the left, his cross is blocked but EVerton have it back for once. BAines on edge of box, crowd urges a shot but Everton are forced all the way back as the crowd boos.

32nd min. Silva loses out, he wantd a foul too, none given, but here Barry is called for a foul on Cahill some 25 yards from goal–Barry ran into him.

33rd min. Donovan with a weak cross, cleared away, the second ball comes back in, Hart spills the cross and the shot is blazed over! Hart expected a foul to be given there but none was.

34th min. Kompany now called for a foul on Cahill and that’s a yellow card!? Given how much the ref has let go, that seems very harsh indeed.

35h min. Fellaini got his head to that cross, it comes off I believe Lescott and goes out for a corner. Donovan to take from the left, Dzeko gets it away, the second ball is harder and more dangerous from Donovan–and then on the third ball Everton have a real chance, Baines to Stracq who knocks it down for Fellaini who puts it wide left.

36th min. City take it forward but Silva can’t get a clear shot on goal. City come again and Nasri hits the post from 30 yards! Aguero offside on the follow up.

37th min. That was a terrific strike by Nasri that rattled the crossbar! So close to the opener. City have a throw on the right in their own half.

39th min. City win another corner through Aguero’s blocked shot. great flick there by Kompany but no one could follow it up for City.

40th min. More City possession. Clichy to Silva back over to Barry, Nasri takes a little push and loses the ball.

41st min. Stats say possession is 63% City’s way, and that seems about right. Meanwhile a fan is on the field and has handcuffed himself to the post!! Joe Hart is talking to him, along with Neville and Cahill. This is crazy!

Mancini is spending the time talking to Aguero and Dzeko very animatedly while police continue to surround the man. All the players have stepped away now.

Now they have finally gotten the man off Hart’s left post, after a four minute delay.

45th min. Howard boots it forward to restart play. Donovan loses out to Silva, City come and we will have five minutes of injury time. Bad pass by Barry and EVerton have it but Clichy takes it off an unaware Donovan.

46th min. Cahill was offside on that flick on by Fellaini so his shot into the side netting is for naught.

47th min. Everton seem to have the impetus since the bizarre stoppage of play. Another long throw near Fellaini, the crowd tamely appeals for a corner but this time it’s a goal kick.

48th min. Hart pings one to Richards, and Nasri is blocked trying to get down the side–nothing given to the Frenchman’s frustration.

49th min. Dzeko loses out in the corner, City force Everton to play it back to Howard as the vistior seem to have regained some tempo–as has the game itself.

50th min. Nasri again cut off trying to get through cut City keep it and come agin, Milner now pops up on the left, great ball to Silva on the right, he plays a reverse ball to Richards who didn’t read it and it’s behind for a goal kick. Richards was offside anyway. That should just about do it for this half.

One more long ball forward from City and that’s your half–a fairly tight nil-nil, but a match in which City have moved the ball around the park well and had the lion’s share of possession.

Second half is upon us! This could be 45 important minutes in City’s season.

46th min. Kompany with a long clearance and Everton will have early possession as we get underway. No lineup changes either side.

47th min. City now have it, Dzeko with a nice ball to Richards across the pitch, and Milner now is fouled by Drenthe.

48th min. Free kick 45 yards out on the right, then. Lescott almost gives it away but gets away with it, Nasri with a cross but he can’t find Dzeko in the box. Dzeko now to Clichy on the left, Dzeko is on the end of it but Howard has an easy save.

49th min. No power on that connection from Dzeko. City have a throw in their own half on the right. Barry’s long ball is picked off butnow City have it back. Silva called offside to break up that move.

50th min. Silva claims ball came off Everton man but no dice. Everton have a chance to shoot from distance but slip at the vital moment.

51st min. HArt with a clearance. Barry with a bad ball and Everton have it back.

52nd min. Everton throw is cleared away, ball over the top to Aguero–here’s Nasri with a chance to shoot and it’s deflected over!

53rd min. Corner then. Nasri puts it near post. Cleared second ball in, and Howard and Lescott collide, and a foul is given on Lescott–strange call! Lescott just held his ground, if anything that should have been a penalty against Howard forw a foul.

54th min. Gibson with a bad ball and Hart takes the resultant goal kick. Former United man has not had much impact on this one, so far. City now with a throw on the right. Silva to Clichy, his ball comes in and Nasri sneaks behind Baines at the back post but his stab at it goes behind for a goal kick.

54th min. Gibson with a bad ball and Hart takes the resultant goal kick. Former United man has not had much impact on this one, so far. City now with a throw on the right. Silva to Clichy, his ball comes in and Nasri sneaks behind Baines at the back post but his stab at it goes behind for a goal kick.comes in but it’s over Dzeko’s head, goal kick.

55th min. Gibsonwith another bad ball, Aguero played Dzeko in but he couldn’t get a shot away as he cut the ball back! It looked like Aguero could have played that ball earlier and given the Bosnia more time.

56th min. City play it back but not for long–more possession.

57th min. Milner to Richards, Drenthe puts it behind for a corner. Nasri to take. Richards gets a head to it but Fellaini with a block. Long ball comes in but it’s over Dzeko’s head, goal kick.

58th min. Aguero dribbles into the box and goes down, but no penalty! I’d like to see a replay of that one.

59th min. Lescott is going to be carded for that foul 40 yards from goal. Here’s the incident, and while there was contact on Aguero the defender Fellaini did seem to get some of the ball too on that risky challenge. Everton set up a free kick.

60th min. Donovan with a terrible ball but Dzeko seemed to run into his own man getting that away. Now Richrds gets it away, briefly–but Everton get it back, and score! It’s Darren Gibson’s goal after Donovan’s pass.

61st min. Mancini will be furious a foul wasn’t given at midfield on Dzeko, but also won’t be pleased by City’s defense that time. The ball took a deflection off Barry on the way in. Everton 1, City 0!

62nd min. Adam Johnson is on for Milner–let’s see if City can fight back and avoid their third league defeat of the season.
63rd min. Dzeko is fouled by Fellaini, in a play not very different than the one the ref let go a couple of minutes ago to set up Everton’s move. Clichy on the left, City get it in the box but it’s cleared.

64th min. Aguero tees up Silva on the edge of the box after great hustle to win the ball, but the shot is stopped. EVerton break and get a throw on the right.

65th min. City get it away. Remember City have no attacking options left. Now Kompany is on the ground hurt after a collision with Drenthe.

66th min. Looks painful but I think he’ll be okay. Replay shows Fellaini definitely stepped on Dzeko’s foot to start the move leading to the goal.

68th min. Play finally restarts. Everton come again. Gibson has another shot, they appeal for the corner and it seemed to be, but it’s not given. Lescott is coming off and Kolarov is coming on. Is he going to play center back?

69th min. Johnson with a chance to shoot, it’s blocked but he wins a free kick near the touchline. Kolarov runs over to take. Decent ball in but Howard punches it out for a corner kick. Silva takes…

70th min. Good ball, EVerton deal with it and then City have a chance through Nasri–but his pass across goal bounces atop the bar and goes behind!

71st min. Gibson with another shot, left footed, not too far away! It was a volley after a cleared cross. Strac brings down Richards, who is now playing centre back. Clichy has moved to right back, Kolarov is left bac.

72nd min. City come again, Barry with a pass that’s dealt with. Kolarov’s cross is blocked. City keep the ball.

73rd min. Throw in on the left. City come agin. Barry to Silva, to Clichy, to Johnson, back to Richards, to Kompany, to Nasri, Barry, Kompany who gives it away with an unwise pass forward.

74th min. Neville takes a free kick in his own half, City now with a throw on the right, it comes in at Everton allow City to bring it forward with no pressure at all.

75th min. Kolarov crosses, shout for a penalty, nothing given! Everton have a chance to break but the pass is errant.

76th min. Replay shows the ball did hit Neville’s arm but it wasn’t given, as they usually aren’t. Clichy now with the ball, over to Silva, Kolarov has a cross, Nasri with a folow up shot that’s blocked, now Howard has to punch away the next cross in.

77th min. Another cross dealt with. Nasri to Clichy to Johnson, he tries to beat two men and wins a foul. Meanwhile Drenthe is penalized for his challenge on Richards earlier in the buildup.

78th min. Yellow card. City with a free kick from the right. Cleared, Clichy with a cross, Richards tries the bicycle kick and while he makes contact it goes straight in the air and behind. Drenthe might have gotten red for his high, dangerous challenge on Richards, the replay reveals.

79th min. Baxter is on for Drenthe, in fact. City come here today to get thre points but would be happy with one at the moment.

80th min. Tons of possession but no goals. Aguero loses out on the edge of the box, Fellaini tries to run through the whole team, Stracq had a brief chance to shoot at an open goal as Hart came out for that clearance, but he didn’t strike it too well from near midfield.

81st min. Donovan decided to play on despite a teammate being down and City get it back, Aguero with a flick but can’t elude the defense.

82nd min. Dzeko with a hopeful rip that’s blocked, City come again though, Dzeko goes down weakly and nothing is given. Baxter had a chance to shoot on the left on the break but it was blocked.

83rd min. More City pressure…

84th min. Everton can barely get out of their own half at the moment. City lead in shots on goal, 9-3, but trail on the scoreboard. Dzeko tries to play the dummy their but it doesn’t come off.

85th min. Real test of City’s mettle–Cahill and Richards battle there and Richards comes away with it, Silva to Johnson to Clichy, Kompany, Barry, Nasri, Kolarov, Nasri, and a shot is blocked. Ten men behind the ball for the home side!

86th min. Kolarov plays it off Donovan. De Jong is coming on for Barry, this simply must be about fresh legs because De Jong isn’t likely to create a goal.

87th min. Hart collects that clearance and De Jong runs on to the ball looking fresh.

88th min. Donovan comes away with it on the right, Cahill now takes it into the corner, and plays it off Kolarov. Soon gettng into desperate straits here for City. Everton sub: Stracqualursi is off, Vellios is on.

89th min. City get the call there and it’s a goal kick. Richards drives on and wins a throw on the right.

90th min. Johnson with a driving, jinking run into the box wins a corner. City have had a lot of them tonight, but that wasn’t a good one, though EVerton struggled to get it away. Kompany offside as the second ball comes in. 4 minutes of injury time to come.

91st min. De Jong is fouled near midfield there, Hart will play it short to Kompany, but he has to knock it back. Dzeko perhaps gets away with a push collecting that long ball but his turn and shot flies miles over.

92nd min. EVerton lollygag around after winning that throw on the left.

93rd min. INtensely frustraing night for City, stil time to save it though. Dzeko with a shot that deflects behind for a corner. Kolarov to take..second ball from the other side is reached by Richards, but his header is weak and it’s the simples of catches for Howard. City pump it forward, Everton knock it back, City play if up and Silva loses it out. Everton can run the clock out now….

95th min. Kolarov takes a long throw, EVerton put it out, Dzeko with a terrible throw in but no matter. Game over!

Everton 1, City 0.

Congrats to Everton on a hard-fought win. Mancini grimly congratulates Moyes, who is exultant after this unexpected win.

City play again Saturday at home to Fulham, trying to get this one out of the system.

Here are your lineups:

City: Richards, Hart, Barry, Lescott, Clichy, Silva, Savic, Nasri, Milner, Aguero, Dzeko
Spurs: Friedel, Walker, Kaboul, King, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Parker, Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart, DeFoe

No Adebayor today for Spurs obviously–technically he is still a Manchester City player!

1st min. City in blue, Spurs in white, stadium is full, and Spurs kick it off. They move the ball up the right side and after a winning a throw are content to play it back to Friedel and try to keep the ball for a spell.

2nd min. Errant pass from Parker gives City a throw on the left after 90 seconds of nearly continuous Spurs possession.

3rd min. Now City play keep ball at the back before Hart hoofs one forward, Barry now over to Nasri on the left, Silva, back to Nasri but it’s over the line for a goal kick.

4th min. Only change from the win over Wigan for City is Richards back in for Zabaleta. Balotelli is fit enough to be on the bench and I’d expect to see him before the afternoon is done.

5th min. Many City fans very worried about this game–despite a recent slip Spurs have been in excellent form, and City don’t have the Toure brothers on account of the African Nations Cup. City work it around the left, chipped ball to Aguero from Silva runs all the way to Friedel.

7th min. More Spurs possession, Bale no drives down the left but Savic confidently takes it off him. City try to quickly break but Spurs deal with it and come again down the right, and Clichy has fouled Walker in the channel. Free kick spurs, on the right.

8th min. They try a clever play rather than put it in the box, but City deal with it defensively–but can’t spring out on the break. Spurs have it again. Now city have it back and move it forward right to left.

9th min. Clichy and Nasri booed by Spurs fans when they have the ball, but not with too much conviction. The game is a bigger agenda than boosing ex-Arsenal men. City held the ball a minute there wihtout creating anything.

10th min. Now Spurs with it, Clichy cuts out a cross-field ball, and some how he’s given a yellow–and the replay shows why–he stupidly decided to prevent with his arms a quick throw in.

11th min. What was he thinking? Clichy is a critical player today and City can’t afford any more red cards today. Bale moves it to Assou-Ekotto, his cross is cut out and City thump it forward.

13th min. Finally a proper shot! Aguero tries his luck from outside the box in a bit of space, it deflects off King for a corner kick. Nasri to take, in-swinging —oh dear that was poor, he hit it on the groun right at the Spurs defender.

14th min. Spurs with a little chance to break but the move ends with a poor ball by Lennon that Hart scoops up comfortably. Spurs get the ball back and start building from the back–Bale now with a dangerous ball across the box from the left that no one could reach.

15th min. So some signs of potency from each team’s attack in the last couple of minutes. City fans sing the Mancini song

16th min. This is the last league match of Kompany’s suspension, by the way.

17th min. City move it forward, Nasri had some space, passed it to Aguero, whose ball in the box was blocked.

18th min. City must start again, so far not much luck getting it to the front men with any room. Silva now to Nasri who sets up a great chance, but Dzeko and Aguero get in each other’s way–it looks like Dzeko blocked Aguero’s shot!

19th min. That easily could have been a goal but for the second straight day the two forwards for City can’t decide on who should take the chance! Crowd get revved up by recent thrusts by the home side and chant “come on city!”

20th min. Assou-Ekotto now with a cross into the box that’s cleared for a corner kick by Savic.

21st min. Van der Vaart now with a cross that is blocked, throw to Spurs on the left, Bale with a chip in the box that Savic gets his head to, it falls to Parkers who scuffs a shot harmlessly to Joe Hart’s left.

22nd min. Lescott with an interesting ball out of the box to Nasri on the left but it Walker covers it until it goes out for a throw. Savic with a nice chest trap to win the ball back, but not for too long. Clichy now volleys one awry out for a through.

23rd min. Friedel pumps it forward, it comes back into the channel for City but Dzeko is offside.

24th min. Walker with an obvious push on Clichy in the box there to end that Spurs attack, free kick to be taken by Hart.

25th min. Would City take a draw today? The short answer is probably yes, but a win would be a real statement on a huge boost for club morale on this critical weekend in the race.

26th min. Aguer with a brilliant run, he finally tees up Silva, and it’s just a bit wide! Best chance of the match so far, Aguero with a long run there.

27th min. Foul against Parker who gives ref Howard webb an unhappy look.. City get it fowrard and Aguero tries to shoot from the left but he got it all wrong.

28th min. Nasri with a nice ball into Dzeko but Friedel goes down bravely to collect it off the striker’s toe and prevent a goal. Game is opening up.

29th min. City now come forward down the left, Clichy with a cross that comes to Friedel on one hop.

30th min. Savic got the best of DeFoe there and City have another throw on the right. The young defender has looked pretty good so far today. Richards now creates a chance for Aguero, saved by Friedel’s foot!!

31st min. Richards comes again to win a corner. That was a great chance for Aguero, well saved. Richards made it happen with some brilliant anticipation. Silva’s corner is cleared at near post by Bale, it wasn’t a very good ball.

33rd min. Spurs with a throw down the left, they work it around to Walker who lofts a cross back post, Richards’s header away did not have enough power and Van der Vaart has a couple of chances to hit it from the top of the box, but both were deflected by City defenders.

34th min. Good header by Lescott to win posesession, Milner with a ball for Dzeko that is much too heavy, goal kick.

35th min. Bale runs at Lescott and wins a foul, this will be about 5 yards outside the box, towards the left but certainly at a reasonable angle to shoot from.

36th min. Spurs run a quick play to give Kaboul a chance to hammer one, and he does–high into the stands as Harry Redknapp and Joe Jordan shake their heads.

37th min. City work it up the left back to the middle, Silva and Nasri exchange passes.

38th min. City do well playing it through and eventually out of very tight space on the left. Richards now down the right but he can’t beat Assou-Ekotto.

39th min. Walker can’t control that pass from Kaboul that was too heavy and city have it again, Barry loses it to Parker but a dodgy foul is called and City will keep it a bit longer.

40th min. Richards now called for a foul. Assou-Ekotto more than holding his own down that right side of the pitch that Richards has so often owned in Premier League matches this year.

42nd min. Richards now with a sliding challenge on Assou-Ekotto but it just goes out for a throw. Spurs have had a majority of possession so far but really have not presented too much threat on City’s goal.

43rd min. Dzeko wins some space for himself to have a shot with his left boot but that goes miles over the bar.

44th min. At the moment this game is not particularly close to producing a goal, but you never know. City play it around the back.

45th min. Richards and Silva battle down the right and it looks that will be a City throw, City fans wanted a foul after that challenge from I believe Parker on Richards. . City fans upset as Barry plays it back, now they come forward but nothing happens before the halftime whistle!

After 45 minutes, it’s nil-nil, with nothing much to report. Let’s see what the second half may bring.

46th min. So it’s time for the second half. A draw of course keeps both teams very much in the title race, and would assure City are still ahead on points at the end of the day. But both teams will be going for the win, one would think. Remember that City have not dropped any home points in the league this year.

47th min. No changes by either side out of the break. Dzeko with a ball into Aguero, it’s too heavy and a goal kick, but the diagonal run and pass wasn’t a bad idea.

48th min. City with a good attack inside the box, Richards has the last ball and it’s out for a corner though it hits Assou-Ekotto on the arm, definitely no pen.

49th min. Corner cleared but City have it back. And win another corner through Nasri.

50th min. Better ball this time but City can’t get to the second ball after it comes off King’s head. Spurs with a break but Van Der Vaart’s shot is wildly off target from some 30 yards.

52nd min. Milner with a critical tackle there after Bale ahd almost been played through clear on goal. Aguero now streaks down the right and is hacked down by Parker.

53rd min. Surely that’s a yellow card? Yes it is. Not sure why he thought it was necessary to take Aguero down well on the right. Silva with the free kick, Friedel’s punch beats Richards to the ball. Spurs come again and win a corner down the left.

54th min. Spurs play it short to set up Bale for a hit, but Dzeko blocks it. Spurs keep it, Modric cues up Bale who swings over the ball! Would have been tough to score from there with many City players in the way of goal but you’d have expected him to do better there.

55th min. City have it again. No doubt about it, both teams playing for a win. And there’s the goal! GOAL!!! Manchester City have scored through Samir Nasri!, wonderful ball from Silva right down the middle, and Nasri hammers it past Friedel who had very little chance. 1-0 City!!!

57th min. City fans do the Poznan, that really was a quality goal. Spurs did not cope with Nasri’s diagonal run from left to right.

58th min. Silva with another promising ball for Aguero but Friedel reads it to collect near top of the box. City fans sing as the home side comes again.. Silva again in the box, great cross and Kaboul has to put it behind for a corner.

59th min. It’s all about David Silva right now, ladies and gentlemen–he is controlling the match–and City score again!!! Joleon Lescott pokes it home after the corner! the ball rolls over the line when Lescott beats Parker to the second ball after a flick from Dzeko! 2-0 City!!!

60th min. What a turn of events! But Spurs pull one back!!! A long ball to DeFoe that Savic makes a fist of, his header went backward to put DeFoe clear in on goal. 2-1!

61st min. Wow, City, were in completel control but now Spurs have a lifeline. Chance falls to Dzeko left footed from 10 yards but he blasts over! Should have hit the target.

62nd min. City will hope that goal doesn’t dent Savic’s confidence, a bad mistake yes but City will need him to stay strong the last half hour. Balotelli about to come on for Dzeko.

63rd min. Nasri to Aguero, back to Nasri on the left. Silva now with the ball and City keep hold of it for a bit.

64th min. Nasri drives forward and his shot is blocked behind for a corner. Nasri takes but Spurs clear and Lennon comes forward on the left, Silva with some decent work there to put it out for the throw.

65th min. Goal for Spurs!!! Bale with a terrific strike and now it’s 2-2! Now that was class and this match has been turned on its head again!

66th min. Well, game on, as they say. We’ve seen two goals showing the best of both teams and two goals showing each side has an opportunistic side as well. You can’t be too upset as a City supporter with that goal by Bale, it was just a brilliant curving hit.

67th min. City’s crowd need to get behind the team right now, this feels such a crucial juncture in the entire season.

68th min. City do have a corner down the left. Van der Vaart is being subbed and Livermore is on for Spurs. Nasri to take the corner, right into the six yard box, Silva gets in a second cross that is put behind for another corner.

69th min. Bale with a clearing header out for a throw. City shift things over to the right and now it’s Richards who wins a corner.

70th min. Friedel with the catch on that corner. It looks like City needs to keep working the near post for flicks but Friedel is all over everything that comes near him. Spurs attack and Savic puts that cross from the left out for a corner.

71st min. This has turned into something of an epic second half if not an epic match. Spurs play it short, but City deals with it well. But Balotelli has a poor touch and City can’t break. Lennon now to Modric with a dangerous looking shot that flies over the bar.

72nd min. Walker now with a blast from distance that is well over.

73rd min. City need to re-gain the impetus in this match they had through Silva earlier in the half.

74th min. Clichy stoops to head that one out for a corner, well done by the left back, it might have gone anywhere but he put it safely over the bar. Spurs corner on the right, it comes through Bale to Lennon whose shot is tame enough for Hart to catch comfortably. Earlier Lescott had a block on Bale’s shot from outside the area.

75th min. Kaboul down for a minute after a shove from Lescott.

76th min. Could Lescott face action for that post-match? Didn’t look that bad to me but the commentators think it was. City with a free kick from the left, City appeal for a corner but a goal kick is given–replay shows Webb missed that one.

78th min. Balotelli nearly gets to that ball in the box but as ever Friedel is alert. Another long ball for DeFoe and he had Lescott beat, but the defender makes a nice recovery to stop that move safely.

79th min. Another warning for City. Balotelli now with a foul on Assou-Ekotto, and the ref deems that a yellow card–a bit harsh, perhaps.

80th min. Bale dribbles through the defense but can’t beat everyone and City have it away. Nasri to Barry, but Assou-Ekotto gets the better of Barry and Spurs have a throw.

81st min. City fans now nervy every time DeFoe gets near one of the long balls out of the box. Balotelli tries to cue himself up for a shot but it’s poked away from him.

82nd min. Spurs have it after a foul whistled against Barry on Parker, Barry thought that was a poor decision.

83rd min. Patrick Vieira looks on looking ever the middle-aged executive! Balotelli now in a tangle with Parker–is that stamp on Parker by Balotelli? The Italian says no and tries to help Parker up, but it looked bad. But as he was falling, Balotelli was pushed by Modric. That’s a hard one to judge.

84th min. But it will surely go before the FA.

85th min. Nasri with a ball in the box and a high boot against Silva is called.

87th min. Balotelli with an effort that is deflected. Spurs come again after Friedel’s save and now patiently work it around on the left. On the Balotelli stomp, it looked to me like he was pushed while off balance sufficiently that it was unintentional, but if you look just at his leg, it looked like a bad stomp.

88th min. DeFoe goes down and appeals for a foul, nothing given. Lennon is down, Pienaar on .

89th min. Pienaar with the ball and he has a throw on the right.

90th min. Spurs have taken it off the pedal a little but surely will be looking for openings to get a winner. Four extra minutes ahead after this one is done. Spurs have it and work it around midfield.

91st min. Assou-Ekotto offside there to stop that buildup. City haven’t done much since Spurs equalized but maybe they can get something here at the end. But Spurs break–and DeFoe misses an open net!!!

92nd min. Bale laid it across to DeFoe but he just couldn’t get there in time to poke it home, instead it slid to the right. City need to close things down here. Richard now brings it away, he plays a one-two with Balotelli and Spurs have to put it out.

93rd. Trial by fire for Savic today and to be fair he has a burn or two for his troubles at the back. City need Kompany back. Silva now controls the ball, now Nasri. City are in no hurry.

94th min. Sival still with it , great possession, but Spurs are containing the attack. But look at this–penalty to City!!! Penalty!! Balotelli is taken down by King in the box!!! Clichy had hoofed one from the back, it took a big bounce into the box, and then Balotelli was brought down as he tried to turn. Mario to take this.

95th min. Last kick of the game, surely. Goal!!! The controversial Italian knocks him the winner from the spot, low and hard to Friedel’s left to the crowd’s approval. Mancini has no reaction but Platt is pleased.

96th min. 47,000 mostly happy fans. Spurs kick it off, City get it back. Balotelli runs it out, and that’s the game!

Huge win for City, 3-2!!! Lots of attention to the Balotelli incident will be paid, but in my view Webb did well not to over-react to the apparent stamp as he was falling to the ground and being pushed. Balotelli and Aguero clearly delighted as they leave the pitch today.

Manchester City and Manchester United are set to do battle in the 3rd round of the FA Cup. Read on for an account of the action from a blue perspective!

In goal Pantmillon is in for Hart, otherwise a very strong attack minded team for City today, with Aguerso, Silva, Nasri, Milner, Johnson, De Jong

1st minute. United kick things off and pas it around the back. Richars with a tackle and here’s an early ball forward down the flank for Aguero to set up an attack.

2nd minute. Foul on Valenica on Kolarov, who is also in today along with Lescott, Kompany, Richards at the back. City keep the ball. Good atmosphere in the City of Manchester Stadium early on. Foul throw against Nani!

3rd minute. Rooney, Carrick, Ferdinand, Evra, Giggs all out there for United. Milner now with the ball down the right, his cross is cut out by Ferdinand. City come again down the right side through Johnson, nice run by Milner but the through ball is cleared out for a throw.

4th minute. Richards with a cross, off Silva’s chest but it falls to United. Wellbeck couled by LEscott but City have it back yet again. Good start for the home side.

5th minute. Silva gets free, his pass for Milner is deflected, but the amount of space City are finding early on here is very impressive. Nasri to Silva, who has a shot that is deflected, he was going for a placed shot but it was blocked.

6th minute. More City possession–total domination early on here. milner to Kolarov, but it goes out for a goal kick.

7th min. Lindegaard’s clearance in goal is closed down by Aguero, but the ball goes behind for another goal kick. United come into this game after two consecutive league defeats. City righted its own ship last time out by beating Liverpool after slip-ups against West Brom and Sunderland over the holidays.

8th min. Johnson fouled by Evra on the right and Kolarov will go over to take an in-swinging free kick in the cold rain. ?He blasts it at the wall and it’s out for a throw.

9th min. Milner does well there to keep that ball in but Silva can’t get it through. United try to break but Valencia loses the ball after an errant pass from Phil Johnes.

10th min. Rooney has scored! On literally their first attack of the match, Wayne Rooney opens the scoring with a quite brilliant header off of Valencia’s cross, Rooney started the move with a pass to the wing, then put the head in off the crossbar in the corner.

11th min. So a goal totally against the run of play. Let’s see how that affects how City get on with things here.

12th min. Unite fans and Ferguson totally ecstatic after the goal. Kompany showe a red card! Good grief, that looked like a clean tackle but that was a two-footed challenged by Kompany. Yet there didn’t seem to be any contact.

13th min. A challenge like that would not have even been a foul years ago, and it probably shouldn’t have been today either. very controversial call here an now City have a major challenge on their hans to stay in this match that just a few minutes agao they were dominating.

14th min. Richards to center back, Milner to right back. Aguero with a great curling shot, well saved by Lindegaard!

15th min. Richards get his head to the corner but it goes wide. Great shot by Aguero, he thought he had scored but the keeper dived to save it. Jones is down with an injury.

16th min. Replay shows Kolarov just didn’t do anything to contest that cross by Valencia that produced the goal. Play finally restarts.

17th min. One would expect United to eventually get quite a bit more possession here but things still have not settled down after the explosive start to this derby. One can only hope the ref’s shocking decision hasn’t ruined the contest.

18th min. Where is Howard Webb when you need him? He wouldn’t have made that call–the replay shows he reached the ball with one leg and get the ball with it before the second leg came through, and there was no contact with the United player whatsoever.

19th min. At most, that might have been a caution. Aguero now fouled by Giggs.

20th min. Foul from behind, City restart play. City will be hoping of course for United to do something rash and get another red card.

21st min. Paul Scholes of all people is back on the bench, having cut short his retirement. Jones with a cross down the right. Chris Foy is the ref today by the way.

22nd min. Mancini had a smiling reaction to the decision, but the smile of someone who thinks that’s a ridiculous decision. Silva sets up Kolarov whose shot is blocked. City keep the ball.

23rd min. No evidence that any subs are coming for City, shape has been reasonable with Richards slotting into the left centre back role where he once regularly featured.

24th min. Silva with a great run eludes two players then wins a corner on the deflected shot. Johnson’s corner cleared, Kolarov puts another ball in. United get it away.

25th min. Unless Kompany’s red card is overturned on appeal, he’s looking at a four match bacn would could affect the title race, especially as backup Kolo Toure is soon off to the African Nations Cup. Aguero now fouled by Jones.

26th min. Johnson to Milner, good ball by Milner but no one is there to meet that cross. City may need to get some more size into the box.

27th min. Nani has a shot blocked on the edge of the area, Silva recovers a mistake from Ferdinand, he feeds Aguero and Aguero shoots, but can only find side netting from a nearly impossible angle.

28th min. Valencia pressures Lescott but City will have a goal kick after that blocked clearance. City fans trying to get behind the team.

29th min. In some sense, it’s not a bad scenario–if City pull back a result from this it will be a big confidence boost given the circumstances. If United go on and win, City will be able to better focus on other competitions. Of course City want to keep the Cup….

30th min…but if you are going to lose, perhaps better to go ahead and lose early. Nani on the left–and a goalmouth scramble ends with another goal for United, courtesy of an excellent finish from Welbeck.

31st min. That was an overhead volley meeting a ball that had been cleared off Silva’s chest. 2-0 to United!

32nd min. TV commentary continuing to rip Chris Foy for that decision against Kompany as City fans really for the first time today look on glumly.

33rd min. It would take something remarkable to turn this around now but even with ten men City had been creating chances.

34th min. By the way,in case you were wondering, very unlikely Hart could have done any better than Pantmillon on either of those goals, both of which were spectacular finishes. Welbeck given a yellow for taking out Kolarov.

35th min. City lose the ball down the right. At this point the match is as much about the collective morale of each side as about the actual result, which is of course United’s to lose at this point.

36th min. Balotelli looks on from the sky box, David Beckham is also in the stands. And here’s a yellow against Nani. City cough it up again on the right side.

37th min. Balotelli is hurt today by the way–and he’s missed.

38th min. United keeping the ball until Rooney fires one from 25 yards, not even close that time.

39th min. And yet another decision goes United way–is that a penalty that’s been given? Kolarov slid it and yes it’s a pen. Rooney’s penalty is saved but he nods home the rebound to make it 3-0 United.

40th min. A really nice save on the initial penalty from the Romanian keeper but he could only block it straight to Rooney. United come again but City escape that time.

41st min. United look like they want to pour on more goals here.

42nd min. City get it away only briefly, Rooney with a shot that’s easily saved that time.

43rd min. One has to feel for City’s keeper who has been brilliant in previous outings in the Carling Cup but today it’s all gone wrong through little fault of his own.

44th min. Aguero battles in the box but can’t get a shot away against three defenders. City look light in midfield down a man and also with no Yaya Toure.

45th min. The game plan was dependent on Kompany controling things at the back and moving into midfield.

46th min. Two minutes of injury time. The ball flashes across goal there on the cross from Valencia, Welbeck got there and should have scored! Fortunately for City he just put it wide from a couple of yars out.

47th min. Kolarov to Silva who is fouled by Carrick. That’s at least the fifth foul by United that had 100% more contact than the “foul” by Kompany that earned red. City end the half in possession but the ref blows the whistle before a cross can be played in.

0-3 to United at the end of a remarkable first half that has all eyes on ref Chris Foy. To be fair, a brilliant goal from Rooney tilted this contest in the visitors’ direction. United look set to have their names in the 4th round draw.

46th min. City will sacrifice Silva and bring on Zabaleta for this second half. The last time City was down 3-0 with then men in a cup tie, they came back and won! That was against Spurs eight years ago in one of the all time classic matches. Savic is on as well, City have switched to a 3-4-2 which could be a little suicidal. But it’s the cup.

47th min. Johnson was the other man to come off with Silva. It’s Savic on the left, Lescott, up the middle, Richards on the right, and Richards has a marauding run forward that ends in a yellow against Evra! I don’t know about that call.

48th min. Richards initiated the contact. But in any case, a chance for City on a free kick 25 yards out. Kolarovs scores!!!! 1-3! A quite brilliant goal to give City a ray of hope early in this match and the City fans something to cheer about in the rain.

49th min. As bad as the decision against Kompany was, that decision against Evra was nearly as bad. City fans in that corner shouting all kinds of abuse at Rooney.

50th min. Let’s see how that goal changes the atmosphere here. Nani called for a foul on Zab. De Jong and Milner are tour center mids, Kolarov and Zabaleta are wing backs . So it’s a 3-4-2 or a 5-2-2 depending on how you look at it, but there’s no question Kolarov and Zab are looking to get forward.

52nd min. Scholes warming up. He got sent off in the Cup semifinal last year of course. Jones with a burst into the box to win a corner. Taken short, Rooney has a chance to shoot and flashes it just wide of the post.

53rd min. There are surely more goals in this contest, the real question is what end the next one flies in on.

54th min. City struggle to play it out of the back under pressure there but do get a throw.

55th min. Nice play by United , but Jones ‘ shot is blocked, play is very stretched.

56th min. City do get it back. Would be nice if Nasri could something special today.

57th min. United come again. Narsi fouled there by Carrick but it looked like City might have had advantage there.

58th min. Scholes is in fact going to break his retirement by coming on imminently. City work it around, Aguero has the ball taken off him finally.

59th min. Rooney with a shot from distance but it’s well wide. United fans cheer as Nani comes off on Scholes, wearing #22 comes on.

60th min. Roy Keane and Gareth Southgate also in the house, for what it’s worth. Maybe Beckham the free agent is coming back to United as well?

61st min. De Jong wins the ball, Aguero skins Scholes and bursts into the box, but loses the ball eventually.

62nd min. Aguero probably should have tried a shot from distance when he had the chance there. Valencia goes down on the edge of the area, no foul given.

63rd min. That easily could have been a penalty as Kolarov raised his arms but the ref didn’t see anything in that one. Whether it was in the box is the only real question there.

64th min. Aguero in a race down the left, his cross for Zab is overhit though. Now Milner steals it and Aguero has scored!!!! 2-3 is the game!! Milner took the ball off Scholes’s toes, crossed it in the box, found Aguero whose first shot was blocked but Aguero followed up to score!

65th min. Epic stuff here! The crowd is delighted. Could this be White Hart Lane 2004 all over again?

66th min. Jones with a cross well saved. Now it’s the United fans who look disturbed. City must defend here, United will try to get that goal back.

67th min. Zab with a long ball finds Aguero brilliantly, Milner to De Jong. However this ends up, this comeback for City is a massive boost to everyone’s morale after that nightmare first half. City fans are singing the Mancini song.

68th min. City kept it for a while there but finally lose it before mounting a real threat. Have to love the fighting spirit City are showing. By the way that match against Spurs also featured a reserve keeper for City, that Icelandic bloke whose name I can’t remember right now.

69th min. He was briliant in the second half that day against Spurs. Lescott with a in mportant clearance, Scholes beats Aguero to that one right there in midfield

70th min. Good thing about this is City can keep its shape, Richards with an interception but he loses it trying to come forward.

72nd min. Welbeck leads United forward, Richards with an important clearance there, Scholes with a thumping shot there but it’s right at the keeper.

73rd min. Jones climbs above Aguero to get that one but no foul is given.

74th min. City had a slight chance after some errant back passing by United, Lindegaard with an important intervention well outside the box after a light bakpass.

75th min. Welbeck is off and Anderson is on, that’s good news for City as welbeck has been outstanding oday.

76th min. Milner now down the right, good cross there but he can’t find anyone. City have it again but it’s much harder now to find space with the packed United midfield.

77th min. It’s lmost five against two in the middle of the park. Anderson, Giggs, Scholes, Carrick all playing centrally supported by Jones as well. De Jong wins the ball back.

78th min. United now keeping at leisure but when they try to attack City have been able to deal with it, of late.

80th min. City had some possession there that didn’t develop into anything. Owen Hargreaves getting ready to come against United just to add a little more spice, in case this match needed any.

81st min. Well I don’t think City are going to get a 4-3 out of this match but 3-3? Not over yet. Aguero appeals for a foul but none given. BAd pass by Scholes is intercepted, City now make the change, bringing in Hargreaves for Nasri.

82nd min. What if he were to pop up with a goal? Milner with a nice turn, Kolarov on the byline, his cross is blocked and City’s penalties appeal fora penalty–it did hit the arm of Jones after the initial block. It’s just a corner and the first ball is cleared.

83rd min. But City can’t keep it and it’s a United throw as Mancini looks aggravated. City come again though. Milner on the right this time, he’s been everywhere this half. Kolarov fouled by Valencia just inside the half.

84th min. City have it again and pass thngs around, Milner up the right side and he’s called for a foul, questionably, after that tussle with Ferdinand. That was a bad call, Milner didn’t do anything!

85th min. Now Aguero’s on the ground after being dragged down by Evra’s arm. City have the kick, goalmouth scramble, United get it away. 8

86th min. De Jong with a cross and Richards tries an improbable bicycle kick that misses the ball.

87th min. Play stopped because Savic has a terribly bloody face, replay shows he clashed heads with Evra.

88th min. City now down to nine men. City have not lost at home this year in any competition, they do have one costly draw against Napoli.

89th min. Savic is back on with a head bandage. City win it back but can’t play out of the back and it’s United’s ball again. What a strange day this has turned out to be!

90th min. United gift the ball back over the touchline, but City again lose it in short order. It will take a miracle or a dreadful United mistake to get City a third goal. Three minutes of injury time to come.

91st min. United pass it and City can’t get close, this is like a video game where your opponent just keeps it and keeps it.

92nd min. Now City have it! Zab up to Richards and he is fouled on the edge of the box!! What an opportunity, Rio with the yellow. City have a free kick on the edge of the box, tight angle.

93rd min. Big chance here to pull off a miracle. Everyone on the edge of their seats–well struck by Kolarov at the keeper, he didn’t save it cleanly but the rebound didn’t fall for City. But here’s a corner after Zab’s shot is blocked. Pantmillon comes forward into the box. And he gets his head to it as well but it goes wide.

And that’s the final whistle. United have won the match 3-2 but there is generous applause from City fans for their team. Truly a game of two halves but in the end it was Rooney’s alert recovery to his missed penalty that made the difference.

Plenty of boos, presumably for the referee, whom Ferguson has plenty of words for.

Phew! Disappointed to be out of the Cup of course, but you have to be proud of that comeback for City. Next up–Liverpool in the Carling Cup.

No, it won’t!

(Technical difficulties prevented our match report from taking place–but some comments on the night’s results to come later on.)

After a short sabbatical, we are back in the house with live minute-by-minute blogging as City try to reach the semifinals of the League Cup, Tuesday at Arsenal. Roberto Mancini has promised a completely revamped side from the outfit that drew with Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

An important evening as City try to eliminate a major rival in this competition and get come within a single (two-legged) step of a Wembley return.

This game has extra meaning for me personally, as I was on hand at Molineux as City advanced in the previous round with a 5-2 win over Wolves. What a terrific night that was–hoping for more of the same tonight. Here’s City’s lineup:

Pantmillon (GK), K Toure, Savic, Zabaleta, Onuoha, Hargreaves, De Jong, Kolarov, Nasri, Dzeko and Johnson.

Sergio Aguero is available off the bench along with Micah Richards and several younger players. 10 changes then from Sunday, with only Nasri being called upon to play a second match in three days from the off.

And here is Arsenal’s eleven: Fabianski, Djorou, Squillaci, Koscielny, Miquel, Ozlade-Chamberlain, Frimpong, Coquelin, Benayoun, Chamakh, Chu-Young. Arshavin and Gervinho highlight available bench players.

So each side will be fielding their second elevens, but on paper one would have to say City have put out the stronger side. Let’s see what happens.

Minute by minute commentary to follow!

A week ago City’s hopes took a big blow in the Champions League with that 2-1 loss to Napoli. What will happen tonight? Before we find out, a moment’s applause and then sukebce for Gary Speed. Patrick Vieira looks on with a very somber face.

1st min. City will kick this off–oddly Zabaleta has the first touch at center midfield! City offside within 20 seconds.

2nd min. Fair amount of noise in the stadium early on it seems. City recover the ball off the ref and attack down the left, a tough tackle from Frimpong wins the ball off Hargreaves who was running onto Dzeko’s lay off. Now a decent tackel down the right from Onuoha.

3rd min. Good to see Nedum playing again, a solid talent who has been largely in the cold. Illegal throw called against Arsenal! But the Gunners have it back in short order.

4th min. City’s loud and proud contingent singing the Mancini song. Did you know that he came from Italy, to manage Man City? City have a throw in their own end on the left.

5th min. Nice play by Dzeko springs Kolarov down the left, good cross but no one was there. Kolarov is playing as a midfielder tonight. City have it back after Savic deals with that long ball. Nasri hears the boos from Arsenal’s support.

6th min. Nasri left North London in August on somewhat acrimonious terms, more so with the fans than management. Miquel with a low shot from distance, no problem for Pantmillon.

7th min. “Stand up if you hate Nasri” they sing. Let’s see how he responds. Nasri had a cracking goal in that match at Wolves last month.

8th min. For some reason Aguero is warming up very early on the touchline.

9th min. Commentator points out that City have 10 full internationals out there, plus Onuoha who of course has loads of caps for England at the U-21 level. Long ball that Pantmillon sweeps up in his box at ease.

10th min. Another quality ball by Dzeko to the wing, this time to Johnson down the right who cut in and shot on his left from outside the box, just over!!

11th min. That was nearly a spectacular goal. Nasri loses the ball as the crowd cheers. City throw down right but they loses it and Arsenal to break–and nearly score!

12th min. Cleared off the line by City there! I think Pantmillon had a hand on that save from Chu-Young, who had a shot from 8 yards out to the left of goal. Even after the block it nearly crept in.

13th min. Coquelin played that ball in and the replay shows what a great save that was from Pantmillon, bending backward to his left to stop that ball.

15th min. City slow the pace by passing it around the back, but as soon as Nasri touches it the loud boos come again. That move ends with a shot by Zabaleta that is low and wide.

16th min. Arsenal certainly are showing some vibrancy tonight, their club of course has a long tradition of favoring youth in this competition, even in finals.

17th min. Dzeko fouled in Arsenal’s half and City re-start play but are forced back.

18th min. Hargreaves with a good ball for Dzeko, but he was just a shade offside there and shot is for naught. (It went over the bar anyway.) City win it back and start again from the back.

19th min. Kolarov loses it, he appeals for a foul but none is called. But City again win the ball back immediately and again start at the back. Finally Savic plays a long ball up the left and it’s a throw for City.

20th min. Great pass to Johnson on the right results in a cross to Dzeko, whose shot is blocked. City come again through Johnson, Miquel with a good tackle there to put it into touch. Arsenal win it back but Hargreaves soon has it back./ City are establising control of midfield.

21st min. Zabaleta with a cross down the left but Dzeko is beaten to it. City have it yet again at the back and start a new build up. Onuoha at right back tonight by the way.

22nd min. Chamakh had it down the right flank after beating Savic, but Zab recovers with an excellent clean tackle to win the ball back. Now Nedum with an adventurous run forward, he did well but Nasri didn’t read his pass down the right channel in time and the ball goes out for a goal kick.

23rd min. Coquelin down for a moment as play stops.

24th min. Former Invincible K Toure keeps his foot on the ball for a moment before bringing those forward. Arsenal get it back though.

25th min. Hargreaves with a ball to Dzeko after a nice win but Dzeko is closed down and the Gunners have it back.

26th min. Arsnal have it in the box and will get a corner after Coquelin’s effort is deflected. Chamberlain to take from the right, Savic is there to head it into touch.

27th min. Djorou takes the throw, Chamberlain and Zab in a struggle near the corner flag, Cahmberlain tried a trick through Zab’s legs but the ball goes behind for a goal kick. Now Chamberlain with an excellent strike from distance that Pantmillon must leap to save!

28th min. That was either going in or about to hit the crossbar, great save no matter. Dzeo with a great ball to Johnson down the right but his ball for Nasri is under-hit and the Gunners knock it out. City get a corner after the throw, though.

29th min. Johnson takes and Savic might have scored! Fabianski flapped at it, missed it, but Savic didn’t quite time it right and the ball went all the way through. City again on the left, dangerous cross by Kolarov is put behind before Nasri can get there.

30th min. City play it short, Dzeko with a somewhat aimless cross in Nedum’s direction but it’s cleared by Arsenal. They have it quickly forward, try to shoot, but it’s blocked.

31st min. Hargreaves wins it, City break, Nasri plays it up to Johnson who is beaten to it by the keeper–he was offside anyway. Arsenal counter and now Chamberlain is fouled by Savic.

32 min. Aguero is about to come on–someone must be hurt for City? At first it looked like boobird Nasri was coming off, but instead it’s Kolarov. The miscommunication there is that Nasri was coming to the left.

33rd min. Still unclear whether this is a tactical or injury sub.

34th min. City come again, Onuhoa’s cross is blocked, and the second ball in is headed away. Now Aguero has it in the box and he’s won a corner. Johnson short, the ball played back to him by Nasri off the short corner but Arsenal stepped up and caught the England winger offside.

35th min. City now with a throw on the right side. Zab forward to Nasri now playing on the left side. Muscled by Frimpong, City have a throw.

36th min. And then another one. Nasri is again hounded down the left, Savic shows some good feet there to evade pressure but his pass forward is a little over-hit for Aguero.

37th min. Very enjoyable match to watch, it should be noted. Arsenal fans are into this, adn both sides are playing attractive football. Dzeko tries to get it out to Johnson but he is tackled. City have it back, Aguero is tackled.

38th min. It’s been a spell since Aguero had an explosive goal, perhaps that’s why he’s on so early tonight. Some City supporters will be wondering why he didn’t come in 15 minutes earlier against Napoli last week.

39th min. Chamberlain crosses into the box but City clear it, then Aguero steps in neatly to win the ball back, then has a nice run down the left which unfortunately comes to waste.

40th min. It appears earlier Zab inadvertanly caught Frimpong’s head with a cleat, but the Arsenal player seem okay. Coquelin down the left, lays it off to Benayoun, to Djourou, whose cross finds only Adam Johnson tracking back.

41st min. Hargreaves now with an uncharacteristic error and the Gunners set up shop. But not for too lon as De Jong intervenes, Dzeko with a poor pass however kills that break.

42nd min. Fast-paced stuff this! Dzeko fouled there by Frimpong. City re-start play and play it back.

43rd min. And now forward…and back again after Arsenal clear it.

44th min. K Toure on the march, nice ball for Johnson, he can’t beat Miquel this time but City has a throw.

45th min. More City possession, patient until Johnson tries a ball into the box that is caught with ease by the keeper. City have yet to really test the keeper tonight.

46th min. Aguero concedes a foul with a light push. One minute of injury time, City pressure Arsenal into a backpass to Fabianski. City clear a cross and that’s your first half.

Good, entertaining stuff. City have had the better possession, but Arsenal have come much closer to scoring–twice! A fine display by Pantmillon in goal means City goes into the locker on level terms.

46th min. Arsenal kick it off and play it right down the right side. Hargreaves has to clear it into touch. Good ball for Benayoun from Park but he can’t get there before the keeper.

47th min. Dzeko with a shot from distance but it flares just wide, not a bad strike. City did have one decent chance in the first half from Johnson early on on a shot from range, but that’s about it until just now. Dzeko’s shot was from about 20 yards out, he tried to curl it back into the goal but it didn’t curl enough.

48th min. Kolarov still looking unhappy he was pulled from the match. City come again from the back after a poor pass from Coquelin rolls all the way through.

49th min. Truly anyone’s guess how this will go. One thing City have gotten out of this if nothing else is assurance that Pantmillon is a quite competent reserve kepper should injury befall Joe Hart later on this season. Hart is not on the bench by the way–it’s Stuart Taylor, now third choice at City.

50th min. Arsenal now come forward, Chamberlain crosses from just inside the area, Zab blocks it but it’s a corner kick.

51st min. Pantmillon didn’t catch it cleanly but Dzeko cleared. Now Pantmillon with a diving punch on the next cross in, Arsenal have it back, and Pantmillon is busy yet again, punching away that shot right at him by Chamberlain!

51st min. Pantmillon didn’t catch it cleanly but Dzeko cleared. Now Pantmillon with a diving punch on the next cross in, Arsenal have it back, and Pantmillon is busy yet again, punching away that shot right at him by Chamberlain!

52nd min. City have yet to get going this half after looking pretty good most of the first half.

53rd min. Hargreaves is booked for a tackle on Frimponng, some 35 yards from goal. The only real midfield alternatives for City tonight are youngsters, so he’s probably staying out there.

54th min Johnson with a great ball to Aguero but a terrible touch from the Argentine and the chance is gone!

55th min. Nedum won a foul down the right but City don’t make anything of the free kick, but do quickly win the ball back. Here’s Nasri hearing the boos again, maybe not quite as loud as first half. Aguero dribbles around and ends up firing over from 25 yards in a bit of a hoper.

57th min. City re-establish some possession. Savic with a ball to Zab, his cross from down the left channel is met with by Dzeko, who tries to re-direct it with his boot but can only knock it wide of goal. Nasri caught offside moments later on the quick counter after a City clearance.

58th min. Johnson called for a foul. Arsenal re-start, Zab clears that out of the box and City have it.

59th min. Tension starting to rise. Both teams have put a lot of effort into this and will be looking for a reward. Chamberlain runs at Zab and gets a cross in but it’s sailed over the crossbar.

60th min. Pantmillon deals with the trick backpass from Hargreaves. City break but Aguero can’t get there. But City have a throw down the right after De Jong’s good tackle.

61st min. Onuoha takes, ball is worked right to left and City now have a throw down th eleft. Nasri is over there but finds himself crowded by 3 defenders.

62nd min. Nedum now on the right, plays it over to Dzeko, the ball is taken off Dzeko and Hargreaves blasts the one-timer well over.

63rd min. Nasri drives forward, over to Aguero, ong ball comes in for Dzeko, Aguero tries to take it in the box but can’t beat two defenders. Hargreaves now has it, and City will get a throw on the left.

64th min. Johnson offside their for City and the Gunners restart. City get it back, good work by Zab to win a throw on the left.

65th min. City with a backpass, the keeper hoofs it towards Dzeko and Narsi is fouled, only to lose it after a quick re-start. Arsenal come forward but give it back on an errant pass. Now here’s a sight–Chamakh is puking on the field!

66th min. Or at least coughing heavily. City attack down the right but don’t get anywhere, Chamberlain comes again but loses it, he was surrounded by three City players. Dzeko can’t latch on to that long ball.

67th min. Here’s Nedum down the right, an errant centre, and Arsenal have it, Chamakh runs onto it, and has a strike left-footed from about 10 yards a tight angle, that flies wildly over.

68th min. Park is off and Gervinho is on for Arsenal. Again, City don’t really have any more cards to play on the bench, at least in terms of midfield and attack.

69th min. Hargreaves with a through ball that doesn’t find Nasri. Onuoha then fouled hard by Benayoun.

70th min. So City come again. Dzeko turns the ball in the box but it runs behind for a goal kick.

71st min. Goal kick now to City after Gervinho’s move doesn’t come off. Arsenal recover the ball, long ball to Chamakh on the left, he dances in but left his pas short and De Jong intervenes. Sweeping ball to the right is lost by Chamberlain to touch.

72 min. Johnson is now on the left and he almost played City into trouble after his hit forward was blocked. Toure with a good defensive header on that cross. Kolo has looked solid tonight. There’s a hoper from Gervinho 20 yards out that’s wild and over.

73rd min. Goal kick then, aimed up the left side, Arsenal head it out for a throw on that side.

74th min. Aguero closes down Fabianski but the Arsenal keeper gets it away in time. Now De Jong loses it, Arsenal get it in the box eventually from the left but it deflects behind for a goal kick.

75th min. Dzeko pushes it out to Johnson on the left, he plays it up to Zab but it’s cut out and Arsenal can break, important tackle by Toure to stop Gerinho from shooting! Corner kick.

76th min. Koscielny with a cross, it’s cleared but only to Chamberlain whose shot is right at the keeper. City try Aguero on Route One but he can’t reach it.

77th min. Important clearance by Onuoha out of the box.

78th min. It looks like the teenager Abdul Razak is coming on for City, just back from a loan spell I believe. He played well in the 5-2 win over Wolves in late October in this competition.

79th min. Hargreaves and his yellow mya head to the bench. Here’s Nasri down the left, he cuts it back to Zab who has a decent cross, Dzeko had the header but couldn’t get it in on target. That was a decent half chance. Here’s the swap, with Hargreaves off for Razak. Great opportunity for him–and yes, he was on loan at Portsmouth.

80th min. Arsenal also have a switch, Vermaelen on for Miquel. So City have gotten younger and Arsenal older. Dzeko and Koscielny battle for the ball, Koscieleny wins out and is fouled for his trouble.

81st min. Aguero moves the ball forward but that doesn’t come to anything. The Argentine has been quiet tonight.

82nd min. Gervinho wins it off Nedum, Dzeko with great effort to track him down the line and City win a contentious thro in to the displeasure of Arsene Wenger. Aguero now has it in the corner, Dzeko dribbles and has a cross from the right that finds no one for City.

83rd min. Good counter for Arsenal, but City get back in term to clear the cross into the box! Corner kick to the home side. Dzeko does brilliantly to get it away and City score!!!! GOAL!!!! Sergio Aguero with the goal, a beautiful team goal created by Dzeko and Adam Johnson!

84th min. Dzeko cleared it, saved it, dribbled it, found Johnson ahead of the pack onside, who deftly laid it off for the trailing Aguero who coolly finished. Great stuff!

85th min. Arsenal attack, Pantmillon rises to catch the cross on his second attempt. Squilacci and Aguero in a tangle after the ball gone.

86th min. Aguero is annoyed at the Arsenal man but the game goes on. Gervinho with a nice move, he cuts it back to his right foot but shotis well over. Now the ref tells Koscielny and Aguero to knock it off. City fans still jumping up and down.

87th min. Chamberlain comes off after a heroic effort, Arshavin is on to try to save this. City fans sing the Mancini song again.

88th min. Goal kick now for Arsenal. They play it out of the back quickly, and get into a great error but the last ball isn’t the best and City get it away. Dzeko holds it up, tries to hit Johnson ahead of him on the right but it’s too heavy.

89th min. Gervinho pops up on the right side of the box this time and wins a corner kick.

90th min. Arshavin takes, Vermaelen got a head to it but it goes weakly over for a goal kick. Replay confirms what a great team goal that was for City a few minutes ago, and Johnson played an even better role in it than I thought with his deft layoff. Arsemal forced back but keep possession. Three extra minutes to come.

91st min. City hoof it away, Savic had more time there. Chamakh attacks the long ball but City get it away again. Zab now puts one out for a corner down the right. Fabianski is coming forward to join in .

92n dmin. Pantmillon catches it, he’s punting, and Fabianski wins the ball from Johnson 45 yards off his line! Arsenal have it and come yet again. Arshavin down the right, to Gervinho cutely in the box, a delicious cross across the face of goal but City escape! No one could reach it for Arsenal.

93rd min. Razak with a block of that cross, Aguero down the left tries to find Dzeko for the kiiller cross but Fabianksi got it. But K Toure with an unwise foul 35 yards from goal! One last chance for Arsenal it seems…

94th min. Savic clears, Arshavin with a hit from distance that the keeper saves and City win!!!

Final score: Arsenal 0, Manchester City 1. A terrific cup tie from two teams whose players really went for it. Lots of credit to Samir Nasri for enduring the crowd’s taunts, and to Edin Dzeko whose terrific effort set up the game-winning goal. Credit also to Zabaleta for a solid job defending Chamberlain and to Pantmillon whose first half efforts kept City in this.

So City advance to the League Cup semifinal for the 2nd time in three years! At least two more games in this competition come January.

In the meantime, the league leaders have Norwich at home this Saturday. Thanks for checking in and reading….

Off the pitch, the big news is that Garry Cook finally found a way to shoot himself in the foot so hard that he lost his job. The former City CEO was busted both for composing an email mocking Nedum Onouha’s mother’s battle with cancer and accidentally sending it to her, then making up a ridiculous lie to try to cover up the incident.

I have never been a fan of Cook since he gave his blessing to Thaksin Shinawatra and announced his plans for remaking not only City but all of English football a few short weeks into the job. Other missteps, such as the handling of the Mark Hughes sacking and the idiotic recorded predictions that City would beat United in the 2010 League Cup, strengthened my view that to be seen as a first class club, City and Cook would at some point have to part ways. My hope at the time of Mancini’s hire was that the Italian would supplant Cook as the most powerful non-ownership voice at the club, and that seems to have happened.

I know Cook worked hard and made some good moves and improvements for the club, and I’m personally grateful he arranged tours for City to the U.S. the past two summers. But to be honest I’m not surprised either that Cook has shown himself to be the kind of person who mocks cancer when he thinks no one’s listening, that Cook could make up a transparent lie to cover up the first mistake, or that his tenure as City’s CEO came to an end in such an ignominous fashion.

So City have some board room shoes to fill. On the pitch, it’s been mostly excellent stuff this month. A quick rundown of the matches and my grade for each:

Sept. 10, Wigan, 3-0 home win. Match grade: A. City play spendidly, paced again by Aguero who bagged a hat trick.

Sept. 13 Napoli, 1-1 home win. Match grade: B. City carried most of the play against an excellent Napoli side in the club’s Champions League debut, only to fall behind after a second half counter. Kolarov’s terrific free kick saved a point. Memorable night, all in all.

Sept. 18. Fulham, 2-2 away draw. Match grade: C. Big disappointment this as City throw a two goal lead to drop their first league points of the season.

Sept. 21. Birmingham, 2-0 home win. Match grade: B. City get through in the League Cup. Next up in that competition: Wolves away.

Sept 24. Everton, 2-0 home win. Match grade: A. Tense, hard fought match, decided by a brilliant strike by substitute Mario Balotelli, his firs of the league campaign (in very limited action). Everton put up a great fight but City passed the test, and closed the weekend level with United on points at the top of the league.

Sept. 27. Bayern Munich, 0-2 away defeat. Match grade: D. City fail to show the requisite poise against one of Europe’s biggest clubs, just about losing the plot in the second half.

Overall one has to be happy about City’s season to date but certainly the pressure is on for the next European outings. City still have a chance to qualify of course, but it’s not inconceivable they could finish bottom of the group and be done with Europe altogether. 4 points out of 6 against Villarreal will be the bare minimum requirement.

The biggest challenge going forward is squad rotation and squad chemistry. Tevez has yet to really get going this season, and apparently squabbled with Mancini on the bench yet again tonight. City’s players must accept that many of them will be spending time on the bench.

The returns of De Jong and Kolo Toure could also unsettle squad selection. Personally I think Mancini should stick with the lineup that has served City so well in the league, for all league games at least. He’s got a challenging job–it’ll be interesting to see how well he pulls off the management challenge of competing on all levels while keeping everyone happy.

City and Bayern Munich are doing battle this evening in Champions League play. Read on for a minute-by-minute, just about live blog!

24th min. We pick things up after 20+ minutes, it’s been a lively start to the contest for City and the visitors have just won themselves a free kick courtesy of David Silva, minutes after a penalty shout from Micah Richards after the powerful right back’s surging run into the box ended with a possible trip.

25th min. City have Dzeko, Silva, Aguero, Barry, Y Toure, Clichy, Kompany, K Toure, Richards and Nasri in the lineup, plus of course Hart. Replay on Micah’s run shows the challenge from I believe Boateng was probably fair. City take their time lining up this free kick. Yaya Toure with the take but it’s easily saved.

26th min. Now Munich with a chance but Kroos scoops that well over. Packed hose tonight in the Allianz Arena. Munich come again but Kolo with the clearing header. Just his second start since returning from that six month suspension.

27th min. Kolo looks sharp enough early on though. Munich with some possession , Ribery runs down the left and gets a cross in but Hart takes it with ease.

28th min. Richards tries to play a ball into Dzeko but it’s a bit overhit and Munich have it. City pressuring high up the pitch though and it pays off as Dzeko intercepts a weak ball. Yaya with the scooped pass intended for Dzeko coming into the box but too long.

29th min. No matter, City have it back again, and there’s a nice ball from Aguero to Richards, but his cross on the ground found no one. Micah is causing problems going forward!

30th min. City had the throw and managed to keep attacking possession, Clichy wins a throw on the other side of the pitch. Pace of this game is fantastic!

31st min. Munich finally clear it and Ribery has a strike on the other end that Hart can only parry. But City do get it away to clear the danger and keep the ball too.

32nd min. Barry to Richards, Kompany, Toure, but finally lose possession. Good tackle to get it back by Kompany.

33rd min. Kroos to Ribery and Schweinsteiger has a powerful hit that Hart does well to catch, shin-high.

34th min. City keep the ball, KToure almost played Richards in but it’s cut out and Ribery breaks rapidly the other way, Muller with a shot after the cross that Clichy is able to deflect behind for a corner.

35th min. K Toure’s attacking tendencies almost cost City there. The corner is played to the top of the box but Ribery can’t get any kind of purchase on it and it’ll be a goal kick.

36th min. City give it away and Schweinsteiger misses a glorious chance from point blank!

37th min. HUGE let off for City, Schweinsteiger had only to stick that cross on goal from 4 yards out but his touch sent it flying over the bar.

38th min. City thus escape a careless moment at the back. Aguero can’t hold off two Munich men and the hosts will come again–and they get the goal! GOAL for Bayern Munich, Gomez stuck it in the net after Ribery had the first hit, Hart saved that and also the follow-up from point blank by Muller, but the third shot fell to Gomez who buried it into an empty net.

39th min. Really heroic stuff from Hart there but nonetheless City are behind.

40th min. Can City muster a response? The flow of this game suggest there are more goals in this but City surely must get the next one.

41st min. For the record then, it’s Bayern 1, City 0. City keep the ball. Richards has it wide, plays it to Dzeko but his effort is blocked–it’ll be a City throw over on the left.

42nd min. Silva is crowded out and loses the ball over the end line for a goal kick. Aguero hacks down Schweinsteiger for an obvious yellow card.

43rd min. Remember for all of City’s talent and the sparkling play in the league, this unit has not played that much football together yet. Let’s see how City cope with going behind in this situation.

44th min. City have played reasonably with the ball but the speed at which Bayern is able to get forward after gaining the ball seems to have taken City by surprise at times.

45th min. Shout for a penalty as Ribery collides with Kompany in the back but nothing given. Dzeko comes all the way back to the defending left channel and commits a foul. Another chance for the hosts before half time off this free kick, Lahm to take–and it’s a goal!

46th min. Oh dear! Hart is furious, he saved the initial shot off a header, but there’s Gomez again to follow up from point blank. So, it’s 2-0 Bayern Munich at the half.

Thirty-five good minutes undone by two moments of defensive sloppiness just a few minutes apart. City now have it all to do. I wonder if Mancini is now regretting his decision to play Kolo Toure ahead of Lescott tonight.

46th min. So, Munich kick it off in the second half with the comfort of a two goal lead. City have not had a deficit like this in this still young season. While a defeat today would certainly not knock City out of contention to qualify from this group, it would pile the pressure on for the next two matches against Villarreal.

47th min. Plaudits justly coming to City for the wreaths club officials laid earlier today in honor of the Munich Air Disaster.

48th min. Aguero could be in trouble here but the ref doesn’t punish him for that apparent high kick–contact was very slight. Aguero is on a yellow. Lahm with a shot that goes well over, goal kick.

49th min. City miss DeJong tonight, possession is even but City are far from in control in the middle of the pitch.

50th min. Neuer comes to the edge of the box to collect that ball from Barry, then again on that through ball forward.

52nd min. Scrap in the middle of the partk , foul goes Munich’s way.

53rd min. Tevez and weekend hero Balotelli are available if Mancini wishes to change things up. City at the moment show few signs of getting back into this.

54th min. Dzeko is fouled by Rafinha hear the halfway line after lunging in. City can’t keep the ball long though as Clichy is called for a foul.

55th min. One-time City man Daniel van Buyten gets forward to challenge for that free kick. Odd change here–De Jong is coming on, and it’s Dzeko to come off!

56th min. So City lose an attacking option but gain some presence in the middle of the park. Let’s see how De Jong does in his first meaningful action of the season.

57th min. Munich had a chance to break but City slowed it up enough to prvent a shot, but now Silva with a foul on Ribery. Dzeko is upset about being subbed.

58th min. Gomez misses a chance to add his third on that near post cross by Lahm, he couldn’t re-direct it on goal. Munich now with a corner.

59th min. Kolo with the clearing header but now Aguero is called for a handball, cheap one that, as he tries to collect it.

60th min. Tevez is apparently rowing with Mancini on the bench! Oh dear. And Dzeko too? We’ll have to wait to see what the journos make of this.

61st miin. Lahm cuts in the box for a shot that goes weakly right at Hart.

62nd min. City’s outfield players seem to have lost the plot and this could turn into a real hiding unless someone steps up and gets everyone back on the same page.

63rd min. City try and fail to play it out of the back. Munich recover the ball and will play it all the way back.

64th min. Tactically, Y Toure is now playing further up the pitch. Aguero there with a dummy to try to create something in the box but it doesn’t come off and Munich recover.

65th min. Forget the result at the moment, this is all about whether City can get it together and muster some kind of constructive response.

66th min. Aguero in the box is toppled over by Boateng, but it’s a clean tackle, he got his longer leg in there just in time.

67th min. Clichy now gets a yellow card for catching Muller.

68th min. Milner’s entry into the match is imminent. Richards loses out to Ribery but does well a couple of moments later to get it back as Ribery seemed to try a trick to get by him.

70th min. Milner is on and Nasri is off. Silva with a pass that Y Toure wasn’t looking for. Not much rhythm at all for City, underlined by Clichy’s header out of bounds.

71st min. Munich keep the ball and City just can’t put them in any trouble at the moment.

72 nd min. Hart with an important stop on Schweinsteiger, going to his left. That was too easy for Munich.

73rd min. Kolarov now on for Barry. So having taken Dzeko off, Mancini is not throwing any more strikers on tonight.

74th min. Kolarov successfully wins and keeps the ball with his first touch, and Aguero is fouled. Kolarov on the dribble and he’s brought down not too far from the box.

75th min. Milner with the take from the left, he was trying to bend it in for someone to head home but it fell all to easily to Neuer.

76th min. De Jong wins the ball and City come forward on the right via Richards. Aguero had it in a good position for a moment but couldn’t keep it 25 yards from goal.

77th min. Now Yaya Toure clips Ribery and it’s a yellow card.

78th min. Now the other Toure brother, Kolo, is in the book with a yello as well and Munich have a free kick just outside the box, over on the left.

79th min. Amazingly, Bayern conspire to miss, Gomez had a deft header and Hart managed to get to his left to save it, and the rebounds just escaped Bayern’s players. Hart is unquestionably City’s man of the match so far. Which is not a good sign.

81st min. City with a good possession spell but when the move breaks down Munich almost are in on the counter, Hart does well to handle that ball back from Kompany.

83rd min. Kroos is off and Tymoschuck is on. Keep in mind Arjen Robben has not even been used tonight.

84th min. Munich have out-shot City 21-8 tonight, make that 21-9 as Kolarov gets one off that’s right at the keeper.

85th min. This result is bad, the performance worse, but maybe the worst thing about how this night has gone is the impact it might have on City’s confidence for when they have to play Bayern again–in December, likely needing three home points to qualify. Silva’s dribble he thought had resulted in a corner but the refs say the ball stayed in-bounds.

87th min. Munich pass the ball around the park effortlessly now.

88th min. Kompany finally cuts that ball out down the right side but a moment later City give it back.

89th min. Robben, superfluously, is coming on, and Ribery is off.

90th min. Ribery famously reacted with anxiety when City was announced in Bayern Munich’s group, but the men in blue from Manchester have posed little threat tonight after such a promising start.

91st min. Milner had a chance to cross after Silva won the ball in an attacking position but it falls easily in the keeper’s hands.

92nd min. Kolarov with a good move in the box, he has to get his shot away under pressure and drags it well wide. Gomez is off for Petersen for the homeside.

And that’s the final whistle! City fail to recover from its late first half meltdown and produce a second half performance that can only be described as dire. Still, it’s been a lesson in why Bayern Munich are so formidable, especially in Germany, and City do escape the humiliating scoreline that perhaps their play merited.

Next up in Europe is Villarreal–two critical matches on Matchdays 3 and 4. Back in the league, City will hope to resume winning domestic ways this weekend against Blackburn.

Thanks for joining us–final score is Bayern Munich 2, Manchester City 0, City’s man of the match is Joe Hart, for Bayern it has to be the goal scorer Gomez.

Kickoff is nearly upon us from White Hart Lane as City face its toughest test yet of the new season, a visit to traditional bogey club Spurs. Can City make it nine points from nine? Read on to find out!

Here are your lineups:

For Spurs it’s Friedel, Corluka, Dawson, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Modric, Kranjcar, Bale, Van Der Vaart, and Crouch (still a Tottenham player)!

For City it’s a debut for Samir Nasri, alongside Barry, Toure, Silva in midfield; Aguero and Dzeko up top, Clichy, Lescott, Kompany, Zabaleta, Hart at the back. Mancini is rotating the fullbacks today, and Kolarov is not even on the bench. Milner loses his place in midfield; Tevez remains on the bench along Balotelli. Let’s see how this plays out!

Spurs put up a brave effort against Manchester United last Monday before running out of steam in the second half. What will happen today?

Here’s the kickoff:

1st min. Spurs kick it off in the sunshine, and Assou Ekoot with a great early cross leading to a shot from Lennon that’s wide to the right. Goal kick to City.

2nd min. City again in the red and black road strip. Nasri is setting up centrally wit Silva more on the right at the start, but we can expect City’s midfielders to be very fluid.

3rd min. Kranjcar takes a pop from some 25 yards out, Hart had to dive for it to be sure but that was a couple of yards wide Spurs have been getting if forward with disturbing ease early on.

4th min. A bit curious that Richards is out of the side given his solid performances so far, but perhaps Mancini is thinking in terms of defense first. Early shot for Nasri, a slow but trick one that Friedel gets a hand too. Spurs eventually get it away. Fast pace to this game early lon.

5th min. Zab sets it up for Dzeko who takes a shot from the right edge of the box, hard, low, and a couple of yards wide.

6th min. Spurs pass it around the back.

7th min. Nasri through the middle, leaves it for Silva whose powerful shot is right at Friedel. Aguero whiffed on the first attempted follow up as the ball bounced by, then Nasri snatched at his effort to the jeers of the crowd.

8th min. Spurs have it up the right side but waste it over the touchline with a bad touch by Modric. Aguero now with a foul from Modric, didn’t look there was much in that.

9th min. Lennon bursts in the box but Barry steps in after a heavy touch to clear it. Lennon again to Rafael, nice turn and shot and Hart can only parry it out for a corner.

10th min. Van der Vaart to take, poor corner is cleared at the near post. Good ball now forward towards Aguero who is tackled errantly by Assou-Ekotto, and that will be an obvious yellow card for that professional foul (but not a goal scoring opportunity).

11th min. City in possession, a throw on the left, now another one.

12th min. Clichy ’s throw toward Aguero is cleared by Corluka but City have it back, Nasri had a chance to shoot from straight on but he laid it off for Dzeko, who unfortunately gets it all wrong, miles wide after the shank.

13th min. Kompany clears it. Aguero down the right but he can’t beat Dawson this time and it’s a goal kick. Friedel plays it short but City apply some pressure at the back. Now it’s a throw for City in their own half on the left.

14th min. Lescott and Crouch battle for that ball forward, Crouch wanted a foul but none is given as the ball eludes both players and runs through to Hart.

15th min. Great run by Narsi into the box but Charlie (Corluka) slides into give up a corner. City have it in the box and after Lescott got a promising head to it, Dzeko is called offside on the other side of the box.

16th min. Another entertaining game this week, it has to be said. City have so much more flair than a year ago, and Nasri looks up for this on his debut.

17th min. Kranjcar brings it forward. The ball swings round to Lennon, Clichy handles him well and City have it back. Toure to Dzeko to Silva back to Toure to Zab to Toure to Barry to Lescott, Barry, Toure, Zab down the right, Aguero, Toure, Nasri, Silva, shot and great save by Friedel!

18th min. Fantastic string of passing led to an opportunity by Silva but the veteran American keeper was alert and got down well going to his left to keep that out, just barely too. Spurs clear the corner.

19th min. Dzeko turns and shoots from the top of the box but Dawson blocks. City recover possession. Zab, Silva, Toure, but Spurs clear it. Long ball forward that Hart comes to the edge of his box alertly to recover.

20th min. Nasri to Clichy, Friedel beats Dzeko to the lofted cross for the catch. Spurs now to Van der Vaart, Barry is called for a foul and will go into the book, didn’t seem like too much in it but Phil Dowd decides to even up the cards. Free kick 30 yards out for Spurs.

21st min. Van der Vaart with a powerful hit, bent it around the wall from left to right and Hart has to save going to his right this time. Good shot, good save!

22nd min. Spurs come again and this time Zab is going into the book, this time a bit more obviously after hacking down Gareth Bale.

23rd min. Zab on a yellow this early is more of a worry for City. City have been on top this match but certainly can’t afford to lose a player. And now another card is coming–or is it?

24th min. No it’s not, Crouch seemed to catch Silva down in the channel attacking City’s goal, but just a foul is given, replay shows contact was slight though Silva went down in a heap.

25th min. Modric down the left, to Rafael whose shot is blocked. Aguero with a counter, Silva, whose pass back to Aguero is misplaced. And now Yaya Toure is going to get a very silly yellow card for kicking the ball away after a foul given to Aguero. Uncharacteristic display of indiscipline from the Ivory Coast man.

26th min. Tide has definitely turned in last few minutes in the favor of the home side–and they almost score too, but Bale blasts over from just 6 yards! It was a bouncing ball off Crouch’s flicked header, he had to go for the volley with just Hart to beat and put it well over.

27th min. Letoff there for City.

28th min. Silva, Nasri, City lose it momentarily but come again. Good ball into Aguero in the box but he came back from an offside position.

29th min. City thump it forward but it goes out on the right side. Spurs start again from the back.

30th min. Dzeko down to Aguero, he gets it back, but is blocked after a promising turn. Zab with a long ball forward but he’s caught–actually shoved–as he finishes the kick and Rafael has a yellow card to his name now. That’s fifth of the day overall.

31st min. Barry, Silva to Clichy in the box, it’s nodded a way but City still have it, they are trying to play it through the middle a la Arsenal along the ground but Spurs are dealing with it at the moment. 54% possession to Spurs so far.

32nd min. Former City chairman David Bernstein is in the crowd in his capacity with the FA.

33rd min. Barry with a powerful hit from the top of the box, Friedel would never have got there but it whizzes a yard or two wide.

34th min. Spurs with a throw up the left as Tevez and Mario get some stretching in. Throw in bounces dangerously in the box. City clear the second ball and there’s a penalty shout after the clearance inadvertantly seemed to strike a City hand. Dowd emphatically says no–and City score on the other end! GOAL!!!!

35th min. It’s Edin Dzeko, but Samir Nasri makes the goal with his left footed cross from the edge of the box, Dzeko beats Kaboul to it, no chance for Friedel as the Bosnian pokes it in the corner of the net. 1-0 to City!!

36th min. Nasri played tremendously well against Spurs as an Arsenal player and it’s been more of the same today.

37th min. The last time City played with two attacking midfielders of this quality was probably Eyal Berkovic and Ali Benarbia together in the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, though that combination worked much better in the First Dvision than in the Premiership (to use the terms of that era).

38th min. City come again, Aguero had a chance to shoot from a good position but he pulls it wide.

39th min. City certainly seem to be thinking in terms of trying to kick Spurs while they are down and grab a second before halftime. But Modri has other ideas, he steals the ball to start a Spurs move that ends with Rafael’s shot in the box being blocked.

40th min. Crouch with a header off Bale’s cross but he’s nodded it wide! Just wide! That looked all the world like a goal but the England man has missed. Spurs come again, and will have a corner down the right.

41st min. Toure to Silva to Aguero up the left–and that’s an incredible goal! GOAL!!! Edin Dzeko has scored again with a looping header across the goal on a ball that seemed to be over his head. But he leapt and showed real neck strength to put it right into the corner, stranding Friedel. 2-0 to City!

42nd min. City commit a foul near halfway.

43rd min. Hart catches the free kick, City break but Aguero is blocked on his shot, now Zab and Assou-Ekotto tangle in the channel and the ref blows the foul in City’s direction. Hart to boot forward.

44th min. City’s traveling support look delighted as well they might and are singing Mancini’s song well the home crowd are quiet. Speaking of 2002-03, I believe that’s the last time City won in the league at Spurs, a 2-0 victory under Kevin Keegan through goals from (I believe) Marc Vivien-Foe and Joey Barton.

45th min. City come again, Dzeko takes a shot from 20 yards out straight on, but Friedel makes a good save. City recover and come again. Silva now with a strike from distance, it’s a half yard wide of Friedel’s goal.

46th min. Three minutes of injury time, I’m not entirely sure why. City have it in the center of the park. Silva plays one down to Zab in the channel, he ges there but his cross goes well behind.

47th min. Dzeko to Nasri to Clichy, great ball to Aguero who does well to keep it in and win a corner. Nasri to take.

48th min. Nasri again puts it in the box but Spurs now counter through Bale, who settles for a shot from distance, Kompany had a touch on it so it’s a corner kick to wind down the half. But no problem for City as Hart catches it unchallenged at the near post. Hart thumps it forward and that’s halftime!

A good game between two quality teams, but City take a deserved lead into the break, with two good finishes–make that one good, one exceptional finish–from Edin Dzeko. Spurs have a mountain to climb to overcome this.

City’s official website posted video this week of that aforementioned 2003 victory at White Hart Lane, and I was wrong–it was David Sommeil, not Marc Vivien-Foe, who had City’s first goal (though Foe won the corner!) QPR new boy Joey Barton did have the second, in what I believe was his first full start for City. City of course won at White Hart Lane again the following year in that epic FA Cup tie in which City trailed 3-0 at halftime with Barton sent off, only to come back and win 4-3.

So let’s see what the second half brings. Spurs are already out on the pitch but as is often the case Mancini’s mean are slow coming out of the tunnel. My advice to the squad would be simply to keep on playing, get more goals, this isn’t over yet. Tom Huddlestone has come on for Spurs.

46th min. City kick it off, but give it away immediately. Charlie and Barry battle for it down the right but it’ll be a goal kick.

47th min. Crouch is fouled on the left side in the shade. Spurs have it again and will try to pick City apart. Bale with a cross to Crouch, he tried to bring it down in the box but is called for a foul, not sure why, possibly Dowd thought that was handball.

48th min. Lescott has done a good job on Crouch so far. Crouch was in the clear for a moment, but that’s because he was offside.

49th min. City have yet to establish a rhythm of possesion this half but will try to do so now. City do have a corner down the left now that Nasri will take. He plays it short to Silva, back to Nasri, Silva slips it in toward Aguero but it’s cleared.

50th min. City recover and now will stroke it around the pitch a bit. Toure’s ball forward is deflected though and Spurs get it back.

51st min. Lennon slips behind Clichy to get a corner, Clichy did well to make sure it was only a corner by blocking the cross. Modric fires in a cross now and it will be another corner.

52nd min. Kompany with an important header ahead of Crouch on the second ball in the box. Play is stopped now as Zab is down after colliding with Huddlestone.

53rd min. That could have been a foul on either player really as they both were late for the ball, so nothing was given. Lennon appears to have a problem, so he’s off and DeFoe is on. Clichy did a splendid job neutralizing Lennon today.

54th min. City re-start play, and Dzeko almost scores! A good header aimed at the far corner yet again but it’s just wide. City now lead Spurs 15-9 in shots, 8-5 in shots on target. Cit come agin through Silva, Dzeko, Barry, Clichy whose cross is put behind for a corner.

55th min. Nasri again to take, unfazed by the boos, he puts this one in the box where it’s temporarily cleared, but a moment later City have scored!!! GOAL!!! Edin Dzeko with yet another one, made by YaYa Toure, who flashes it across the box, and all Dzeko had to do was tap it in from point blank, which he did. 3-0 to City!

56th min. City fans do the Poznan for the third time tonight. I’m no Spurs historian but you’d have to believe it’s been a long time since Spurs were hammered like this on their own pitch.

57th min. But I’m sure Tottenham won’t quit and they still have more than enough quality to cause City problems in the remaining half hour or so. But what about the explosion of Edin Dzeko–legend in the making!

58th min. Counting the Community Shield, that’s six goals in four competitive matches, including five in the league.

59th min. Throw in to Spurs on the right. Tevez with his short hair cut has a smile as he looks on from the bench. Can last year’s leading scorer in the league make it back into the side?

60th min. Ha ha, I expect he can, but not on this form from City–because Sergio Aguero has just added a fourth! GOAL!! 4-0 to City! Aguero takes the ball from Nasri in the box, beats Dawson, then blasts it left footed past Friedel for his third league goal of the season!

61st min. Corner to Spurs is punched away.

62nd min. Long throw in the box results in a looped header toward goal that Hart catches with ease. Patrick Vieira and Mike Summerbee look on, they are calm on the outside but have to be doing cartwheels on the inside.

63rd min. Micah Richards is about to come on perhaps for Zab who has carried that yellow card the last 40 minutes or so. What Spurs fans must be thinking after this? Zab with a cross, it’s cleared, but City keep it. Lescott with a tricky back pass to give Hart something to do but City keep it seamlessly..

64th min. That move ends with Aguero shooting from about 25 yards, he blasts that one over. Substitution is made and Richards is on for Zab.

65th min. Livermore about to come on for Spurs. City attack down the right, good work by Kaboul to win the goal kick off Silva. Modric is off and Livermore on.

66th min. Redknapp gives Modric a head pat with the Croatian who has been linked with Chelsea all summer.

67th min. Spurs battle hard to keep the ball and DeFoe has a powerful strike from distance, Hart does well to save it!

68th min. And there’s the goal! Kaboul with a powerful header and the home side is on the board. Toure didn’t contest Kaboul’s leap and that bit of slackness has given Spurs a small ray of hope.

69th min. Good tackle by Kompany on Bale at the edge of the box. Spurs have lifted the pace. Aguero is offside on that quick counter by City.

70th min. What City don’t want to do is concede another one, especially in the next few minutes. Hart with a punt, Aguero jinks with the ball and is fouled by Huddlestone who couldn’t help but run into him. Free kick 40 yards out. Nasri lays it off for Toure who hits it well but wide.

71st min. Spurs nearly score again as DeFoe gets through and hits it hard at Hart, well-saved and City scramble it away. Goal kick now as Crouch can’t reach Charlie’s cross from the right.

72nd min. DeFoe has made an impact since his arrival, why wasn’t he there from the start? Well that’s for Spurs to worry about. City now with a half chance after Richards’s run but can’t get a proper shot off.

73rd min. Spurs are pushing hard still but will be very vulnerable on the counter. DeFoe with another shot that is blocked.

74th min. De Jong is not available today, he would be the obvious person to bring in. Rafael meanwhile has stormed off the pitch, which means Spurs must finish with 10 men, he has a knock. DeFoe now wins a foul on the edge of the box.

75th min. Mancini is going to make a defensive-minded substitution as Savic gets ready to come on. Huddlestone prepares to take this as the ref lines up the wall. Aguero is off and Savic is on, the defender came on too soon. Some frustration after Aguero walks off slowly. Savic gets a yellow for coming on too soon.

76th min. After all that Huddlestone decided to just rip it at goal from an impossible angle, and it was deflected behind by Dzeko. City now have a break after the corner but lose it over the touchline.

77th min. Richards now with a dribble, he chose to try to force his way through rather than passing but got nothing for his efforts but a collision with the advertising boards after it goes out for a goal kick.

78th min. City keep it for a spell.

79th min. The man advantage should make that task easier till the end of the match.

80th min. Richards flicks it for Silva, Dzeko, Nasri, chipped ball into Silva who might have done a little better on that chance, he fires wide, Assou-Ekotto with a subtle push right before the shot.

81st min. DeFoe with another shot that is blocked. Savic is now actually at right back with Richards in midfield, unusually. Bale with a shot that Hart deals with easily.

82nd min. City pass it around some more, happy to take the air out of this. Spurs get it back now, Kaboul is all the way forward, a cross comes into Crouch who has his arms wrapped around Lescot, that’s a foul.

83rd min. Toure now to Richards, his first cross is blocked but he gets it back and only a great save by Friedel stops Dzeko from scoring again!

84th min. Spurs come again, Crouch again leaps and gets nothing but air, he wanted a foul called against Savic but nothing doing. Nasri had the cutback to set up Dzeko’s shot from 8 yards a moment ago, by the way.

85th min. Silva down to Clichy , Nasri to Dzeko to Nasri to Toure. City keep the ball.

87th min. Dawson tries a shot but that was never going anywhere near goal. Spurs will now have a goal difference of (-6) after two matches against the two Manchester teams.

88th min. Unless of course another goal goes in here. Richards with a knock after an aerial head collision. Play restarts.

89th min. Silva sets play up again but City will go backward for a spell to run the clock down.

91st min. Spurs with a corner, but nothing comes of it. Hart with a goal kick.

92nd min. Three minutes of injury time being played out. Spurs try to get forward yet again, but they now look a beaten, as well as shorthanded, side.

93rd min. One more cross to Crouch, who wa offside, Hart takes and City come agian. Dzeko with a classy GOAL! GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL! That’s four goals for the Bosnian, and almost casual blast to the top left corner after a nice one-two with Barry who teed it up for him perfectly.

That’s as good a goal as you will see in this league, and it’s now 5-1. That’s the game’s final kick too, the whistle goes for full time on the kick-off and there are a smattering of boos at White Hart Lane.

But absolute delight for Manchester City fans and also one suspects the squad itself–a huge win in one of the tougher contests of the league season, including a 10 out of 10 performance from four-goal hero Edin Dzeko, two of which were goals of the very highest quality.

Only bad news for City is that they do not play again until Wigan in two weeks’ time. City fans will be able to contemplate the league table until then knowing their team will be at the top.

Join us for a blow-by-blow description of the action as first-day winners and local rivals Bolton Wanders and Manchester City meet in league play at the Reebok. Can City make it six points from six in the early going? And can Sergio Aguero build on that stunning debut Monday night vs. Swansea? Read on to find out!

Here is City’s lineup to start the match: Aguero, Dzeko, Silva, Milner, Yaya Toure, Barry, Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, Hart.

And Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Knight, Cahill, Robinson, Eagles, Muamba, Reo-Coker, Petrov, Davies, Klasnic

City are in road red and black today!

1st min. City kick it off and straightaway Kolarov is tackled by Davies. City throw from their left. City’s away kit looks better up close than from a distance. Early corner for City won by Kun Aguero, making his first start for the club.

2nd minute. Milner to take. Lescott got his head to it but the whistle has gone for a foul, perhaps on Lescott himself. Milner wins the ball and plays a quick one ahead to Dzeko who is offside.

3rd minute. Carlos Tevez is on the bench today, along with Balotelli, so Dzeko has plenty of reason to want to play well again today. Dangerous situation now as Kompany and Davies tangle and the foul is given a couple of yards outside the box to Bolton. They will take a free kick from about 7 yards beyond the box, in shooting range. Good save by Hart!

4th minute. Silva in the box plays one for Aguero that is stoo strong. Eagles I believe took that dangerous free kick that Hart had to go to ground to parry.

5th minute. Barry fouled near midfield as City try to establish possession. Milner is tripped but nothing given, and another foul against Kompany is given.
6th minute. City forced into a backpass but he gets it up to Dzeko, who dribbles near the box. Put out for a throw by Bolton.

7th minute. Silva to Richards, return ball is cut out by Robinson. Silva now to Aguero who cuts it back near the endline, throw-in to City after Bolton cut it out again.

8th minute. City look good in midefield so far despite De Jong’s absence. Aguero now in the right channel, Silva tries a cross that is headed away, Barry switches it to Milner, back to Barry, then Milner misplaces a pass. Petrov with a shove on Richards down the lef channel on the counter and the former teammates embrace.

9th minute. Hart finds Dzeko, who chests it to Silva. Barry to Aguero to Silva to Toure to Aguero to Silva, whose return ball to Aguero is cut out. Plenty of short quick passing.

10th miunute. Steinsson with a good cross in from the right channel that is thumped away for a Bolton attacking throw–make that a corner. Petrov to take.

11th minute. Second ball fell to Knight who stabs at it with a volley that goes wide. Very dangerous Bolton cross there and it’s another corner for the home team.

12th minute. Bolton are definitely up for it today. Kompany heads that corner behind, another corner to follow. Barry gets the next one, Dzeko recovers but has a poor pass giving Bolton another chance to put in the box, but Hart catches it.

13th minute. Tons of action and pace so far, I’m barely keeping up with things! City now with the ball. Silva over to Barry , good idea bad execution on the pass into Dzeko, it goes over the end line for a goal kick.

15th minute. City with a throw coming out of their own half. Toure playing a bit deeper today but it’s a very fluid midfield setup. City keep ball for a spell. Milner to Kolarov whose cross nearly produces a goal, but the keeper gets to it just ahead of Milner! Milner may have had a touch on it.

16th minute. Aguero on the left as City start again, Silva to Dzeko who fights into the box with the ball at his feet before it’s cleared out for a throw.

17th minute. Dzeko with another dribble, leaves it for Silva who takes a low shot along the ground from the edge of the box that is straight at the keeper.

18th minute. Kolarov with a header back to Hart. Silva retreats deep to get the ball, but a bad pass by Toure wastes possession. Petrov over to Muamba as Bolton try to penetrate. City get it back. Milner, Dzeko, who finds Aguero who then misses from 8 yards!

19th minute. That should have been a goal, he didn’t quite get over the lightly bouncing ball. Great setup by Dzeko. Tevez with a smile from the bench at that one, perhaps he knows he now has ammunition for the locker room.

20th minute. Now Bolton with a free kick 45 yards out, Hart takes it easily. Steinsson with a foul, City take it quickly, and Aguero nearly has another chance but can’t control the ball from Milner cleanly.

22nd minute. Bolton with a free kick now and Wanderers will have a corner after Eagles has a shot blocked behind. City must be careful. Petrov takes and Hart grabs it, long ball forward down the right, milner recovered to take it in the box but it’s cleared.

23rd minute. Now Klasnic and Kompany clash, Klasnic with a shove but then shakes Kompany’s hand. Quick talking-to by the ref and now the game is back on. Dzeko playing with so much more confidence today compared to las tseason.

24th minute. Toure to Silva back to Toure, now Silva is fouled by Muamba in Bolton’s half near the edge of the center circle.

25th minute. City resume possession. Barry looking good on the ball, now Silva, but Muama tackles well, Eagles on the left, Robinson crosses, Toure clears it, here’s Dzeko, finds Aguero, his shot is blocked and it’ll be a throw-in.

26th minute. Goal for City!! GOAL!!! David Silva takes a rip from outside the box, and gets lucky, it take the wicked short hop past Jasskalainen who commits a rare keeping error. 1-0 to City!

27th minute. Richards had left it for Silva on the right side of the box, Silva hit it hard with his left foot, and this time the lottery ticket pays off. That will make up for Aguero’s earlier miss.

28th minute. Aguero now battles against the much larger Knight and manages to win a corner kick. Milner trots over to take. Cleared at near post but City get it back. Barry tries one for Dzeko in the box that the keeper gets.

29th minute. Bolton try to keep it a bit, but that long ball from the keeper goes out. Richards takes a throw down the right.

30th minute. Kolarov to Barry to Aguero, to Silva, to Milner dwon the left, he tries to find Aguero but nothing doing. Bolton finally get it back. There’s De Jong–in the stands today, next to Patrick Vieira, both in suits.

31st minute. City have it in the net again but Richards is called for a foul on Petrov to wipe out Aguero’s goal! That looked a very, very poor call at first glance, Richards won the ball comfortably and Petrov went flying on slight contact.

32nd minute. Richards had cut the ball back into Aguero’s path for a tap-in goal. Meanwhile Klasnic and Kolarov clash in the air and the foul is given aginst Klasnic.

33rd minute. City will be looking to try to get the second they deserve before halftime, right now I’m not betting against them. Silva to Toure to Richards back to Toure, Silva, Barry, Milner, the move ends with Milner lofting a cross into the box that the keeper gets to ahead of Aguero.

34th minute. Bolton with the ball around th edge of the box, Klasnic and Eagles try to find each other but couldn’t find a way through.

35th minute. Dzeko now down the left, beautiful chip to Aguero, but the header is just inches wide! Aguero could have a hat trick already but it remains 1-0.

36th minute. City break again. Aguero tries to feed Silva in down the right, but it’s cut out.

37th minute. City recover the ball again. Milner to Richards, back to Milner, who ends up winning a corner with his second ball afer the first was deflected back to him.

38th minute. GOAL!!! GARETH BARRY! Barry with an absolute blast from 20 yards out after the corner is pulled back to him, a left footed strike to the top right corner, the keeper got a finger on it but could not redirect it. The ball whizzed by Richards’ ear, too!

39th minute. 2-0 to City ! And despite Bolton’s game effort, it’s a just scoreline at the moment. Bolton put it in the box, City clear but Wanders have it back. Petrov to Klasnic and there’s a goal for Bolton! GOAL!

40th minute. 2-1! City made to pay for a slack clearance, Petrov then had room to cross and Klasnic beat Lescott and then had a great finish to beat Hart. Suddenly things aren’t so comfortable for City.

41st minute. Dzeko came back from an offside position to stop that move by City. Next time though Dzeko is fouled near half way.

42nd minute. But the ref gives it the other way–looked questionable. Knight to take near half way line, Davies climbs the back of Kompany and a foul is given.

43rd minute. Milner now with a foul sliding in near Muamba. City get it back great ball by Milner over the top looking for Dzeko, the keeper just does get there first.

44th minute. Now Eagles commits a fould 35 yards out. And someone is getting a card, it looks like Muamba, I’m not sure what for. Aguero now takes a much more obvious fouul from Davies and that’s another yellow card for the home side.

45th minute. Milner to take 35 yards out, he tries to play it down the line to Silva but it’s much too heavy for the Spaniard and the surprise is wasted.

46th minute. Bolton free kick now, some 40 yards out. Hart with a weak punch but City are off the hook because the ref also sees a push by Bolton. Now Toure is down, he may have taken a knock on that–he’s holding his wrist as he gets up.

47th minute. Toure now commits handball in the Bolton area to stop that latest City move.

Halftime! 2-1 to City at the close of a very entertaining and compelling first half. That last goal by Bolton keeps them well in this. Let’s see what the second stanza brings.

46th min. Bolton kick things off in the second half, no changes fo far. Commentator incorrectly states that City and Bolton played in the FA Cup semifinal last year. That was Stoke City, not us, who beat Bolton 5-0!

47th minute. Klasnic and Richards battle in the corner. Foul against Klasnic. Goal for DZEKO!!! 3-1!

48th minute. Milner flicked the ball over his head hopefully towards Dzeko, who ran on to it, held off Knight, and then had a good shot right footed to beat the keeper! Good strike, good goal! Not the most artful goal by City standards, but that will help settle things down and may take the air out of the home side’s sails.

49th minute. So it’s two goals in two for the Bosnian. City come again, Silva loses out however and here comes Bolton for a moment, and then Barry wins it back. Here’s Dzeko on the edge of the box but he’s tackled, now great work back by the Bosnian, to get the ball back via a sliding interception.

50th minute. City now with an elaborate move that ends in Milner firing hard but right at the keeper after being teed up by Silva

51st minute. Good Bolton move there ended up with Eagles in the clear in the box, but his shot is weak and wide.

52nd minute. Hart with a goal kick. Knight nods it out of bounds, City throw. Richards throws it to Dzeko but the layoff back for Richards is errant.

53rd minute. Barry wins it back, he’s been solid again today. Milner now in the clear with a chance to shoot set up by Dzeko, but the shot is wide. No corner given though it seemed to take a deflection.

54th minute. De Jong may have a hard time getting back in the side on the evidence here. City’s midfield has been inventive and fluid all day.

55th minute. Kolarov now with a cross, but it’s a bit too heavy for Dzeko and went behind anyway.

56th minute. Eagle takes a corner from the right, Klasnic backs into Hart and fouls him.

57th minute. Adam Johnson is warming up–will we see him, Tevez, or Balotelli today? Dzeko is fouled now as he rumbles past Reo-Coker, who has not had much impact on proceedings today.

58th minute. Good move by City, Silva into the box…

59th minute. And that will be a corner, lovely play by City to spring Silva forward. City take it short, Milner crosses it in, and Dzeo nods it just wide of goal.

60th minute. Muama, still on a yellow, comes off on Mark Davies is on. City come again, Milner to Kolarov, he tried to find Aguero but it’s deflected behind for a corner.

61st minute. Milner takes it short, gets it back, then chips it in. The ball is cleared as far as Kolarov, whose shot is deflected behind for a corner.

62nd minute. Barry with a spectaular pass to Silva who volleys it up towards Richards, but City can’t get a proper strike on it.

63rd minute. Bolton now given a free kick 30 yards out. This match isn’t over yet and City must hold tough on these set pieces–but they don’t! GOAL for Bolton! Kevin Davies beats Lescott, then Hart with a looping header that goes in off the post. 3-2!

64th minute. Petrov then with a chance but he can’t control the ball in the box, lucky for City, now he’s out wide, and he’s won a corner off Richards with that drilled cross. Kompany with an important header.

65th minute. Unbelievably, it now feels like City need a 4th. Silva into Aguero in the area but the ball is cleared.

66th minute. Kolarov with a teasing cross but no one can get it for City. Bolton have lifted the pace of their play notably since the goal. Petrov, Reo-Coker, looped ball in the box but it’s a very poor ball in Davies’s general direciton.

67th minute. Tevez is warming up. Who would come off? Aguero has been a bit off the boil this half, but that’s a harsh assessment. Davies with , Mark that is, for Bolton, that is cut out by Lescott.

68th minute. City now have a chance to shoot with Toure, but he blasts it over. Tevez comes in for Aguero, sounds like that was a smattering off boos aimed at Tevez, but some cheers as well. But there are some cheers too. Aguero unlucky not to score today.

69th mnute. Here’s Tevez on the ball, into the box, and the ball is knocked out for a throw. Tevez lays it off for Silva whose close range shot is blocked by Knight.

70th min. Bolton with the ball for a spell. Petrov with a dangerous ball through the box but Kolarov gets there.

71st min. Twenty minutes to play, it’s been a cracking match so far and right now it’s uncertain how it will end up. Petrov fires one off Richards for another corner.

72nd min. Petrov to take from this left side. Lescott nods away the out-swinger, Kompnay the second ball, and the third one is blocked. Dzeko dribbles it out of bounds.

73rd min. Bolton work the ball around, Klasnic with a decent cross that City get away through Milner. City try to keep it for a bit. Here’s Tevez to Milner, his cross along the ground is cut out by the keeper with Dzeko lurking back post.

74th. Bolton with a move that ends up offside.

75th min. Toure with a good tackle. Tevez to Silva back to Toure, to Baryy, to Kolarov, to milner, to Kolarov who had a good chance to shoot, he stabbed at it left footed, almost a toe poke, but it goes wide. That was a decent chance.

77th min. City now keep the ball some more. Lescott with a long ball that is cut out but City get it right back.

78th min. But Bolton have it again. Throw on the right side for Wanderers but first a substitution, Eagles is coming off for Darren Pratley.

79th min. Silva is fouled by Robinson, City players think that should be a card but the ref says no.

80th min. Adam Johnson is coming on now for Edin Dzeko, who had a very good day again today.

81st min. Bolton with an attacking throw on the right near the corner flag, Kevin Davies yanks down Kolarov and that’s a foul.

82nd min. Tevez, now Silva, now Milner as the shade falls over the pitch, City are keeping the ball in the remaining sun on the left.

83rd min. Silva with great work to get space for himself in the box, ends up winning a corner. Each side has had 7 corners today. City play it short and work it all the way around the pitch from left to right,n ow back again. Johnson almost with a great goal!

84th min. Oh dear, that was inches away! Johnson beat Knight, then tried to score from a tight angle on the right but it slid all the way past goal. City have outshot Bolton today 15-6.

85th min. Bit of a scramble on the other end but it ends with Lescott hoofing it to safety. The first attempt had knocked off Barry. Kolarov now as City come forward.

86th minute. Toure to Silva to Milner to Silva back to Milner to Silva ot milner to Silva, he crosses it in for Tevez whose shot is awful! He popped it literally straight in the air. Oh well.

87th minute. Bolton knock it forward but that last move ends with a foul by Pratley, taking out Milner.

88th minute. Zabaleta getting ready to come on to try to close this thing out. Hart pumps one forward that’s put out by Bolton for a throw.

89th minute. Tevez with a quick dribble that wins a corner. Zab is on and the magnificent David Silva comes off. City now playing to keep the points–they aren’t worried a bout getting a 4th, though they’ll take it if it comes.

90th minute. The versatile Zab should go into midfield. City take the corner short but lose it over the end line. Lescott with a clearance, Milner recovers it, Barry plays one for Tevez to chase but it’s off Tevez.

91st minute. Four minutes of added time! Folks these are the minutes in which championships are won or lost–let’s see if City can hang on here. Hart comes to grab that ball.

92nd min. Klasnic knocks it out of Hart’s hand but doesn’t get away with that. Hart pumps it forward again. City recover the ball. Tevez with a run and shot, but right at the keeper.

93rd min. Toure with an interception, ball played in for Johnson but he can’t get there Barry plays it back to Hart, who play it out of the back. Johnson offside on that ball from Kolarov.

94th minute. Long kick that Lescott nods forward, Tevez holds on to it and wins a foul. Almost there! Tevez again to Zab to Johnson back to Zab who heds for the corner flag. Now Tevez takes it into the box to run the clock out, and after it goes over for a goal kick, the ref blows for full time!

Manchester City 3, Bolton Wanderers 2, one of the better installments in this century-long local rivalry. City are now off to a fine start in the league and continue to look every bit the part of title challengers.