Liverpool are looking very confident under Brendan Rodgers now, and Daniel Sturridge is looking a big asset to the club. Ian Rush gave him a good clap when he was removed at the end. His goal - Liverpool's first - was decent, but it was his all-round performance which bodes well for the Reds, and England.
Is it took much for City now? Olori Olamide Bello thinks so. And he is not going to miss the explosive Mr Balotelli, it seems.
Thanks again for following and writing in. If you would like to see how Spurs' game against West Brom unfolded read all about it here.
95min Aguero thinks he is fouled, but it would have been a tough call. It's still end to end. And now Suarez's shot is blocked for a corner.
93min Oooh. Close from City now. Maicon, who has made a good impression since joining the action, could not find Aguero at the far post, and it's another corner, which is wasted.
91min Sturridge is replaced by Joe Allen, and boos ring out for the former City striker. He's had a great game, though. His goal was a corker, and with Jermain Defoe injured earlier today then perhaps he'll lead the line for England against Brazil on Wednesday. Here he claps ironically.
89min Cracking save by Hart now, diving low to his right. He saves a swerving toe-poke from Sturridge. Corner Liverpool.
88min Barry is off for Frenchman Nasri. And there will be three minutes extra. Brilliant weaving run from Aguero. It's another corner. This time from the left. Gerrard nods it out for another. It comes back in and Reina punches out in rather ugly fashion.
86min Big roar from the City crowd as Milner - who has played very well - wins a corner. Milner swings it over from the right and Maicon nods it over. Unlucky.
85min Liverpool toy with the ball out the outskirts of the City area, and Johnson takes an effort, but it sails well over. Meanwhile Samir Nasri is stripped for City.
82min Will we see a winner here? Edge-of the-seat stuff now. Suarez finds some space on the right and the ball breaks for Gerrard again, but the City defence block well. It rebounds to Aguero who does well to wriggle out of three tackles. Not quite this time, but we have a thrilling seven or so minutes left here.
Aguero took a touch to take it to the right, the Spanish goalkeeper was caught out, got his bearings wrong, and the striker, from a way away, hooks his right foot around it and it bounces in to the net. That was an improbable goal, and a stunning one. Fantastic game!
77min And Liverpool almost grab another goal when Gerrard's free-kick just evades Skrtel. City looking rocked. Not the form of champions!
Amusingly Hart and Gerrard are sharing a ride to the FA function after this match. Awkward!
Maicon comes on for Silva, whose influence on the match waned. And Skrtel replaces Jose Enrique.
71min Garcia is booked for a niggling challenge - that's his sixth yellow of the season. He doesn't look quick enough. He's certainly no Yaya! Maicon, the Brazilian right back, is now stripping off.
70min Yaya and Kolo Toure are missing - they are at the African Cup of Nations - and how much are they missed today? Quite a lot thinks Wandile Mtana here.
68min At the other end, though, Barry is almost on the end of a low cross. And it's kept in. End to end again. Great tempo by both side, and we are in the last quarter now ...
67min Henderson breaks well but he chooses perhaps the wrong option, and slides in Lucas. His cross is harmless, but Liverpool win the ball back and Downing drags a shot wide on the right. They are looking the side more likely to score at the moment.
65min Barry's looping header is just too high, and Reina had it covered. City really need to show more ambition, especially at home, if they are to close down United.
64min Carlos Tevez warms up on the sidelines. City need something special here. Liverpool are certainly matching the champions.
63min Suarez flashes a shot across the goal but he was off balance and squirts wide. He's not been on song at all today.
61min Ironic cheers as Agger kicks the ball out after shoulder barging Aguero, who stays down. Liverpool did not kick it out when they scored their goal, remember.
60min Better from City now. They can't muster a decent chance though. Dzeko has an opportunity but he can't move his feet quick enough to take it. Great contest this.
57min Now sub Kolarov gets a chance to shine with a free-kick after Carragher is booked for clattering in to the back of Aguero. It hits the wall and City Barry knocks it back in to the box but it's dealt with. Good entertainment, and a great sound at the Etihad.
56min And a switch from City. But it's not the one you might expect from a team who supposedly need to win. It's a left back - Kolarov - for a centre back - Nastasic. Might be a change to three at the back. Uhoh!
53min Ooooh, that's a tough call. Sturridge has been booked for a simulated dive in the City box, as Lescott leaned in.
Ah, on the replay it was clearer that he had dived. Naughty from Sturridge and well played the referee, Mr Taylor. And the City fans have a hearty boo.
51min Jamie Carragher goes close for Liverpool. He had hung around from a corner and his effort is bundled out for another corner. Better from Liverpool.
49min Liverpool have a free-kick and Suarez takes an age to have a shot. It's is deflected wide and it's a corner, which comes to nought. Suarez is complaining that the wall encroached. He's not had a great game so far. But his team are still level. It's his strike partner whose has done the damage.
46min Second half. City kick us off. They have come out the blocks quickly and have an early corner. Garcia's header loops over from very close to the goal. Liverpool need to wake up here. Good start after the interval by City, though.
HALF TIME
Phew, what a half! Great stuff from Liverpool who showed fantastic character to level and were certainly on top when Anthony Taylor blew for the break. City, who desperately need a win to narrow the 10-point gap between them at United, are looking panicked at the back.
Two good goals, with Sturridge's drive the better. No dance from him, though if he scores again which might see his jig as the City fans are now booing him. Next goal will be crucial.
Just a note on the oval-balled game, as Roberto Mancini's Italian countrymen have just beaten France in Rome in their Six Nations opener. That's a big shock. Read all about it here. Can Mancini channel the rugby players' graft and detemination?
This just in from Chris Healy, who thinks United would be whipped if they happened to play in Spain. And he doesn't miss Mario Balotelli, just like Frannie Lee. What do you think?
45min+2 Two minutes added on and Hart gets down well to a long-range Johnson effort. More panicking from the City defence. It's all Liverpool now. They won't want half time to come!
45min My goodness! Captain Zabaleta almost scores a bonkers own goal. He rolled it back to Hart, who he thought was on his line. But the England goalkeeper had moved up and there was a mad scramble back. The ball bobbled out for a corner. But that shows City's jittery mentality.
43min And as the half time whistle nears the sides trade possession and Liverpool's passing is true and decent. City look a little desperate, as though they are trying too hard to win this game. This is where true champions would step it up a gear.
40min Sturridge is looking as though he has suffered a knock. And he might wait until half time to see if he can shake it off. Yes, Sturridge is really struggling now. Will he come out for the second half?
38min Aguero wins a corner for City now, though, and it's wasted. Mancini is looking agitated on the sidelines, waving his arms wildly.
36min Henderson is booked for a meaty challenge from behind on Milner. Fair cop, guv. Liverpool have been pressurising the home team well, and after their leveller their tails are certainly up.
32min Sturridge is now being booed by the City fans. Ah, how fickle. Liverpool are shooting the ball about well. And the England forward is looking sharp.
Daniel Sturridge has lashed the ball in with a shot hit centrally outside the box. The former City player does not celebrate, out of respect. But it's noisy here, and Dzeko - now back on his feet - has been booked after his protestations. Liverpool, how were 1-0 down of course, had every right to play on as Dzeko was not down with a head injury.
Good start, and well done Liverpool who are looking confident. Sturridge has had a good start to his career at Liverpool - that's his fourth goal for his new side.
27min More good play from Milner. He finds Agero with a cute ball on the right this time. The forward's cross is a good one but no one can get near it.
Milner again involved. He plays a one-two with Silva and powers into the Liverpool box from the right. He gets the last touch, though, and it's a goal kick. Harsh call? Maybe.
26min Liverpool look to hit back immediately, but having been found from Downing's corner Henderson's volley is woeful. And it balloons back to the winger, who is offside.
23min Half way through the first half and it's a close-run thing.
20min Great pace from Sturridge on the left. He pulls it back well for Suarez, just on the edge of the area. The forward steadies himself but that is awful - he spoons his shot so much that it almost goes out for a throw! Not what you expect from a man who has scored 22 times for Liverpool so far this season.
19min Dzeko no whistled for a handball after Silva finds him neatly with a dink. It was a foul, but Liverpool will need to make sure the little Spaniard is not afforded that kind of time. That is the second time he's almost carved an opening.
17min Now Suarez skins Clichy on the right of the box - was that a nutmeg - and it's deflected wide for a corner. From the resulting set piece Agger, in space, should have done better. Alarm bells should be ringing for Mancini's men.
16min Suarez sweeps the ball right for Downing, and the Reds are settling in to this game now.
15min Silva bundles over Johnson. That was good pressure by Liverpool. Much better from Rodgers' side.
14min Ooh, that's close from Sturridge. He managed to round his defender after a good lofted ball to the left of the area, but having skipped past Hart the City defence scramble the ball out for a corner.
13min Cagey opening. Only the Silva chance to speak of so far.
12min That's neat by Garcia. He just nips the ball away from contact. And City spread the ball well before Dzeko is pinged for fouling Jose Enrique.
10min Now a clap around by the stadium. It's apparently for Neil Young, a former No10 for City who passed away two years ago. Nice touch.
8min Liverpool concede a sloppy corner though Daniel Agger, who had loads of time to belt it clear. And City go close to scoring though Garcia's header after a neat set piece. That would have not gone very well in the eyes of Brendan Rodgers had his side leaked a goal there.
7min Zabaleta clips Jordan Henderson and that's free-kick on the half way line. Can Henderson conjure up another crackerjack goal like the one he scored at Arsenal in midweek?
5min Agero plays a nice give and go with Dzeko, after turning just inside the Liverpool half. The ball scoots out for a goal kick though. The Argentina striker will be keen for a goal here. He's netted only a trio in his last 13 appearances for City.
4min Daniel Sturridge, who started his career at City, of course, gets a touch for his new club Liverpool. No boos from the home supporters, which is pleasing. Perhaps if he scores it'll be different.
2min Oooh, early hit from David Silva. His effort, from 20 yards out, looked to be dipping under the crossbar, and Reina lifts it over. Corner City. Good start from the home side. Corner is hacked away by Liverpool.
1min And we are off ... Pitch looking good, and City fans in good voice with Blue Moon.
16.00 All set here now. Liverpool to kick off.
15.55 Teams in the tunnel now. If City fail to win this will it be curtains on their Premier League defence? They have not conceded in 555 minutes now. That's not too bad, is it?
15.50 Some stats for you now ...
- City have won only two of their last 17 league and cup games against Liverpool
- Roberto Mancini's side have kept four successive clean sheets in the league and that equals their longest run of shut-outs in the Premier League
- Interestingly, City have scored 18 fewer league goals than at this stage last year
- Brendan Rodgers' club have not managed to score in their last three Premier League games at the Etihad
- Liverpool have netted in their last 11 Premier League matches, and that's their best run since an 18-match streak between Jan and May 2011
15.48 City are 10 points behind their Manchester rival United. The pressure on them after a goalless draw against Queens Park Rangers. Liverpool have not won at Etihad since March 2009.
15.45 No Mario Balotelli, of course, who once again can call the San Siro home. One person who will not be miss him is City legend Franny Lee.
"I think it is the right move," he said earlier. "He is a talented player with a lot of ability. But the biggest disappointment for me was that he played at the expense of his team-mates.
"He would stop the game and do a few tricks, or do this, that and the other. You could never rely on him.
"If you have a player and he has one or two faults, you can work on them and eradicate them. But this guy has too many, I think.
"Roberto Mancini has treated him like a father would at times, and he was always wishing and hoping that this guy was going to do it. But to be quite honest, he has done it on very few occasions."
15.40 Team news now. Hold on to your hats ...
Manchester City welcome back defender Matija Nastasic, who was only fit enough for the bench in midweek. His knee issue is better, apparently. Skipper Vincent Kompany, however, could be out for a further three weeks.
For the visitors Liverpool's new No10, Brazilian Philippe Coutinho, will not feature. And Pepe Reina, Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique all returned from injury at Arsenal, which ended 2-2 in the week.
Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Lescott, Nastasic, Clichy, Milner, Javi Garcia, Barry, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko
Subs: Pantilimon, Maicon, Nasri, Sinclair, Kolarov, Rodwell, Tevez
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Jose Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Downing, Henderson, Suarez, Sturridge
Subs: Jones, Allen, Borini, Sterling, Shelvey, Skrtel, Wisdom
The referee will be Anthony Taylor from Cheshire.
15.35 Hello and welcome to what should be an exciting match at the Etihad Stadium between Premier League champions Manchester City and Liverpool.
If you missed the earlier game, Spurs' 1-0 win at West Brom, you can catch my minute-by-minute blog here.
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