Aston Villa – Manchester City

1. Good evening everyone and welcome to live coverage of Manchester City's trip to Aston Villa. City can go level at the top with Manchester United with a win, while Villa start the game just one place away from the drop zone.

2. As predicted, Darren Bent is handed a Villa debut after his big-money move from Sunderland. Ashley Young is back after his ban while Carlos Cuellar slots in at right-back.

3. City recall Gareth Barry, Edin Dzeko, Nigel de Jong and Kolo Toure who missed the midweek FA Cup replay with Leicester at Eastlands.

4. Jean Makoun has been paraded to Villa's fans after his move from Lyon, but all the focus is on Darren Bent. With Albrighton, Downing, Young and Agbonlahor supporting Bent, Villa look lively.

5. City have a big goal threat of their own of course, with Dzeko, Tevez, Silva and Yaya Toure pushing on. We should see goals. The teams are out....

6. 1'

   <b>KICK OFF</b>

7. 2'

   City in possession for the opening minute.

8. 3'

   Bent already looking a little isolated as Young and Agbonlahor sit in on the wings.

9. 4'

   Tevez tries to release Dzeko but Dunne slides in and wins the throw in.

10. 5'

    Kompany charges into Young and gives away a free kick. No need to make a challenge at all.

11. 6'

    Young's free kick curls to the back stick when Dunne gets up and loops a header over the bar. Should have been a corner perhaps, as it glanced off Kompany.

12. 7'

    Barry's arm catches Petrov and Villa have another free kick.

13. 8'

    Villa coming into the game now as Cuellar finds Petrov in the inside right channel and an outstretched leg from Kompany prevents his cross hurtling into the six yard box.

14. 9'

    Now Agbonlahor's snapshot nearly falls into the path of Bent, who I can't remember having a kick so far.

15. 10'

    Silva looks for Tevez as Dunne gives away possession but Clark does well. Then a few seconds later he charges in late on Tevez and concedes a free kick on the right wing.

16. 11'

    Kolarov takes the kick but hits it too long and Friedel watches it sail past his post.

17. 12'

    Excellent intervention from Petrov as Barry charged towards the box with numbers in support.

18. 13'

    Kolarov furrows down the left and wins a corner from Albrighton.

19. 14'

    The corner falls to Kolo Toure at the back post but he is off balance as he has a pop on goal and the ball sails over the bar.

20. 16'

    Kolarov's second corner is a belter but somehow Tevez fails to connect from three yards out with the goal at his mercy. Should be 1-0.

21. 18'

    <img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/goal.gif"> <b>GOAL</b> Bent scores!

22. 18'

    Incredible! His first kick is a goal! Agbonlahor feeds Young, his early shot is saved by Hart but Bent is there to slot the rebound home.

23. 19'

    What a story. the £18 million man scores in the 18th minute! Hart perhaps at fault, as Young's shot didn't seem to carry much power at all.

24. 20'

    Those of you who slotted Bent straight into your fantasy team (if he wasn't there already) are rewarded.

25. 21'

    Another Kolarov corner causes problems as Kompany gets a free header and Friedel tips it over smartly.

26. 22'

    This one is a carbon copy of the first as Kolo Toure collects and strikes on goal but Dunne blocks.

27. 23'

    <img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Clark will be carded now for a lunge on Dzeko. It's late and nasty, and will be a yellow card.

28. 25'

    Now Boateng bumps into Young and Villa have a free kick wide left.

29. 26'

    Dunne wins a header at the back post after Downing's delivery but Barry is there to tidy up.

30. 27'

    Cuellar charges down the right but only has Bent in the box to aim at. Hart claims the cross.

31. 28'

    Villa are playing with confidence now and City are struggling to find their targets.

32. 29'

    A rueful Shay Given looks on from the bench. I'm not sure he'd have spilled that shot. I think Hart thought Young's shot was going faster than it was, hence his early dive.

33. 30'

    Young skips round Barry and tries to fizz a ball into Bent but it is just a tad too strong.

34. 31'

    Kolarov again is tracked well by Albrighton, who concedes the throw in.

35. 32'

    Lovely play from Yaya Toure, who turns Petrov, feeds Kolarov but his cross is too fast for Dzeko to get on the end of.

36. 33'

    Now Agbonlahor tries to release Bent early but again the pass is too strong.

37. 34'

    Dzeko loses possession and Tevez tugs back Young as Villa looked to counter. Lucky not to see yellow is young Carlos.

38. 35'

    Agbonlahor wins a corner off Kompany after Bent flicked a header into his path.

39. 36'

    As the corner is cleared Albrighton turns it back in but though Dunne gets his head to it, Hart claims easily. City charge down field and Dzeko does well to get in the area and win a corner.

40. 37'

    Great early cross from Boateng and Barry, leaning back, flicks it on and has only missed the target by a matter of inches.

41. 38'

    Kolarov looks like a fine attacking player. He wins another corner, which he will take.

42. 39'

    A novelty, as Nigel De Jong gets battered by Albrighton. A cheer goes up from a number of people I imagine. Especially Hatem Ben Arfa.

43. 40'

    City's sixth corner kick yields nothing, as Barry takes.

44. 41'

    Young is caught as Barry goes in to challenge him. Before that Agbonlahor wasted decent possession on the left flank.

45. 43'

    Villa are developing a nasty habit of handing the ball back to City whenever they get it. Pressure building.

46. 44'

    Fierce effort from Young as Albrighton's cross is cleared to him, but Hart is right behind it.

47. 45'

    <b>HALF TIME</b> Villa end the half with a fizzing shot from Downing but Hart, again, is right behind it. Changes needed if City are to get back in it.

48. <img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com//design05/images/2011/0122/darrenbentceleb20110122_275x155.jpg"> Villa's new man celebrates his goal.

49. To catch up on all today's Premier League action<a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/869160/?cc=5739" target="_blank"> have a read of our wrap here</a>.

50. And while you are at it <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/tables/live/_/league/eng.1/barclays-premier-league?cc=5739" target="_blank"> here is a link to our live Premier League table</a>.

51. Richard Jolly was at Molineux earlier to see Kenny Dalglish record his first win as Liverpool boss. <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story/_/id/869334/kenny-dalglish's-liverpool-reign-begins-in-earnest?cc=5739" target="_blank">Read his take on it here</a>.

52. 46'

    <b>KICK OFF</b> No changes for either side.

53. 47'

    An early opening inside the box for Tevez, but he tries a very ambitious left foot volley from a tight angle.

54. 48'

    Silva shimmies past Dunne and then goes to ground but Howard Webb doesn't give a foul. There was definitely a nudge.

55. 49'

    Silva finds Dzeko in space but he looks a bit lumbering before eventually getting a shot off. Collins blocks.

56. 50'

    Tevez twists and wins a corner but as Dezko meets Kolarov's ball he nods over under pressure from Dunne.

57. 52'

    A dawdling Dzeko slows a City break. He looks a little rusty still.

58. 53'

    A poor clearance from Albrighton hands Toure possession but he can't find Tevez, then Bent gets a cheer as he gets back to disrupt Silva's attempt to cross.

59. 54'

    Tevez escapes Dunne's attentions but then can't find Silva who was bursting through the middle.

60. 55'

    Yaya Toure shows good pace and slides a ball into Barry, but he had strayed offside when he really shouldn't have done.

61. 56'

    <img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> That is Barry's last involvement as he makes way for Johnson, much to the delight of Villa's fans.

62. 58'

    Perhaps the former Boro man will inject a bit of life into City. They've looked flat today.

63. 59'

    Tevez smiles wryly as he is penalised for a shove on Richard Dunne as they went for a long ball.

64. 60'

    It's just not happening for City in the final third. Some of their approach play is neat but they lack that killer touch.

65. 61'

    Friedel does well to get behind Boateng's speeding drive, just after Tevez's shot had been blocked well by Collins on the box edge.

66. 62'

    Petrov is down with a knock and Reo-Coker is preparing to come on.

67. 63'

    Panic from City as Hart's clearance falls to Albrighton but Kolarov saves his 'keeper with a challenge.

68. 64'

    Now Young gets to the byline and pulls the ball back but Kompany clears, then Dzeko wins a corner at the other end as Dunne diverts his cross behind.

69. 65'

    Cracking turn from Young and a good hit but Hart is across and parries behind for a corner.

70. 67'

    Dunne does well to get across and clear as Silva look to feed Johnson into space down the right. The game is becoming a little more stretched.

71. 69'

    <img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/yellow_card.jpg" height="15"> Great trickery from Albrighton and Kolarov clears him out.

72. 70'

    What a shame. Collins fires a superb ball behind Dzeko but Albrighton's first time cross troubles the crowd more than Hart.

73. 71'

    Good cross from Dzeko but Yaya Toure can't climb high enough to nod it goalwards.

74. 73'

    A really poor ball from Silva as City run out of ideas.

75. 74'

    Another poor finish to a once promising move. Johnson gets into the area but is then crowded out, and eventually Kolarov smashes a shot well wide.

76. 75'

    A brief sight of goal from Dzeko but Dunne is across to block his effort.

77. 76'

    The corner comes out to Johnson and he has a go but it was always high and wide.

78. 77'

    Downing ends a Villa break with a shot but he hits it right at Hart. City starting to get desperate now.

79. 78'

    A goal-saving block from Collins as Johnson's cross fell for Tevez to volley nine yards out. Excellent defending.

80. 79'

    Villa are very deep now, sitting on the edge of their box but City can't find a way through.

81. 80'

    Last ditch blocks from Downing and Cuellar as Villa repel another City attack.

82. 81'

    A rare forray upfield for Villa as Albrighton crosses but only Bent is in the box and Kolo Toure clears.

83. 82'

    For a second it looks like Johnson has earned a sight of goal but Dunne is across again.

84. 83'

    Off the post! De Jong's shot flicks off Clark and dribbles onto the post!

85. 84'

    Now Dzeko gets up to meet a cross but nods wide. Clark did well there, he almost sat on the ball. It was ungainly but he prevented a goal, that's for sure.

86. 85'

    Now Kolarov's effort from the edge of the box flicks off Collins, then Cuellar and drops wide of the post.

87. 86'

    Another opening for Kolarov as the corner (City's 13th) falls to him at the back post, but he went for power over placement and blazes wide.

88. 87'

    A rare chance for Villa as Albrighton gets round Kolarov and crosses and Ashley Young tucks it wide at the near post.

89. 88'

    <img src="http://soccernet-assets.espn.go.com/design05/gp10/i/subs.gif"> Reo-Coker comes on in place of the quite clearly knackered Petrov.

90. 89'

    Dunne misses a cross for once, but Collins is behind him to nod clear.

91. 90'

    Three minutes added..

92. 91'

    Yaya Toure clips Downing as Villa try and keep the ball to run the clock down.

93. 92'

    Now Agbonlahor is clipped by Boateng before fouling Johnson. Thirty seconds left.

94. 93'

    Final fling for City as a free kick is given. Hart goes up!

95. 94'

    <b>FULL TIME</b> A great win for Villa, and Bent is the hero. City lose ground on their title rivals, but they truth is they couldn't break down a spirited Villa side who defended for their lives.

Sağlayıcının güncel lig tablosudur; maçın oynandığı tarihteki sıralama olmayabilir.