Manchester City welcomed Sevilla to the Etihad in Group D of the Champions League looking to claim their first win of the group stages.
Sevilla started brightly and they took the lead through Yevhen Konoplyanka, before Adil Rami turned into his own net before the break to leave things level.
City laboured through the second half and appeared unlikely to find a winner, until Kevin De Bruyne shone late on to grab a last-gasp winner to hand the hosts all three points.
Relive all of the action with our minute-by-minute commentary below.
Good evening all and thank you for joining us as we bring you live coverage of Manchester City's Group D Champions League clash with Sevilla at the Etihad.
Both of these sides come into the game having claimed three points each from their opening two games in the group. City were beaten on matchday one by Juventus, but bounced back last time out away at Borussia Monchengladbach.
As for Sevilla, they had no problems dispatching Monchengladbach in their first game, although they soon came unstuck when facing the Old Lady on matchday two.
City will also be seeking to claim their first win of the campaign on home soil in Europe. They know that they still have difficult fixtures away at Juve and Sevilla so tonight could be vitally important as they look to gain progression this winter.
Sevilla have not had the best of times when visiting England recently. The Spaniards have not won in England in three previous attempts, having played out two draws and one defeat.
City will have a lot of work to do in this group without the services of star man Sergio Aguero, who is out through injury for a good few weeks. Manuel Pellegrini will be happy with what he has seen in recent weeks, however, given that Raheem Sterling and Wilfried Bony have been linking well together.
Sevilla do have some fantastic form to speak of when competing in Europe in recent years, though. Unai Emery and his men lost just one of seven away games in their 2014-15 UEFA Europa League run.
Pellegrini and Emery have quite a lot of history together as coaches in Spain. Over nine contests, the City boss has managed to win four, draw two and lose three when coming up against his adversary. Pellegrini has found things generally tough when coaching against Sevilla, though, where he has lost nine and drawn five in 19 clashes with the club.
Time for some team news now...
MANCHESTER CITY STARTING XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Mangala, Sagna; Toure, Fernandinho; Navas, De Bruyne, Sterling; Bony
MANCHESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Caballero, Kolarov, Kompany, Demichelis, Fernando, Glendon, Barker
SEVILLA STARTING XI: Rico; Coke, Andreolli, Rami, Tremoulinas; Iborra, Krychowiak; Konoplyanka, Banega, Vitolo; Gameiro
SEVILLA SUBSTITUTES: Soria, Andreolli, M. Ferreira, Krohn-Dehli, Reyes, N'Zonzi, Llorente
So the major news for City fans is that Pellegrini has named an unchanged side from the one that beat Bournemouth last time out in the Premier League. That means that there is no room for skipper Vincent Kompany at the back, while Jesus Navas gets the chance to start against his boyhood club. The Sky Blues will be attacking with Bony up top, while Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Navas will bring creative support from a touch deeper.
As for the visitors, Sevilla are to go with Kevin Gameiro up top alone, while the likes of Vicente Iborra and Grzegorz Krychowiak will seek to help bolster a five-man midfield. City will have to be wary of the threat of wide-man Yevhen Konoplyanka, while Fernando Llorente could feature from the bench.
City have not managed to keep a clean sheet in their last seven matches in all competitions despite a terrific start in their first five Premier League matches. Sevilla might think that they can at least grab a goal tonight, especially given the absence of Kompany.
Emery has indicated that tonight's clash is just as important as any other in the group. Here is what he told reporters yesterday: "We are level for the moment, Manchester City and ourselves. I see tomorrow's game as being just as important as previous matches. City are a great team, a great squad – they have some great individuals."
Pellegrini has also paid respect to Sevilla, by suggesting that the Spaniards will be full of hope of a positive result away from home: "We would have expected Sevilla to be higher up the league [in Spain]. Every team has weaker moments in a season, and this is the UEFA Champions League; they will be full of hope, trying to get through. They have some great players."
City will need to ensure that they keep a close on Gameiro, who has bagged one goal in two games this campaign. Konoplyanka also has a goal for himself and he has the ability to cause all sorts of problems out wide.
City will be fully aware of the problems that Sevilla can cause their opponents. The Spanish side beat La Liga champions Barcelona last month, but they come into the game off the back of a rather laboured draw against Eibar on the domestic front.
The visitors will be boosted by the return of Ever Banega this evening, who comes in to replace Steven N'Zonzi in the middle. He has bags of experience and could prove important as the away side look to settle in the early stages in Manchester.
Here is a quick snap from the Etihad a little earlier this evening:
Set to go at 7pm, BTSport 2 from the Etihad. It's wet, it's cold so get on that sofa #City #Sevilla #ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/4mzI8qmyTM
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) October 21, 2015
City do not have the best of statistics when facing Spanish sides at home in recent times. The Sky Blues lost their last two home games against Barcelona in each of the past two seasons when they were twice knocked out in the Champions League round of 16.
Pellegrini will know that tonight could prove to be vital given the way things already stand in Group D. They still have to welcome Borussia to Manchester and face flying off to Italy and Spain too. Champions League qualification is often achieved by banking on your home games so City will need to up things tonight. These three points could be crucial towards deciding whether they go through or not.
This occasion promises to be something special for City winger Navas. He spent the best part of 10 whole years in the Sevilla first team before making his move to the Premier League in 2013.
Kompany's absence continues to cause a bit of confusion. Is he still unfit, or are City taking a stand after his suspect appearance for Belgian during the most recent international period? They could have done with him starting this evening given his impact on the hosts' organisation in Europe.
What City would give to have Aguero back... He has scored in his last three home games for City against visitors from La Liga. Things are startling to fill up in Manchester and we should have a fantastic atmosphere in the ground this evening.
City fans will be pleased with what they saw against Bournemouth, however, as Sterling and Bony appeared to be putting together a promising partnership. They also have De Bruyne in their ranks too, who has been brilliant since his summer move from Wolfsburg.
Not long now until kickoff and it is time to make a prediction. City have looked good in recent weeks and they will be confident of finally getting a home win under their belt. I fancy the hosts to take three points from this with a 2-1 victory.
The players are just emerging from the tunnel and we will be playing shortly!
City are to feature in blue this evening, while Sevilla line up in red and white stripes. It is time for a few photos and then we will be underway.
KICKOFF! City get the game moving as they aim to keep possession at the back. Lots of simple one and two-touch stuff to get things going. The hosts aim to move down the left through Sterling, but Rami cuts out the forward ball.
City come forward again down the left through Sagna, who is able to turn a cross into the middle for Bony. The striker brings the ball down, but he cannot find a shot and is tackled by Kolodziejczak.
Sevilla get their first real chance to move down the right channel and they are able to win a cheap corner off Sagna. The ball into the box is a poor one, though, leaving City to clear the danger at the near post.
Zabaleta shows some good determination to meet the ball in his own box, and he is able to head clear despite calls for a Sevilla penalty. City soon respond by launching a move down the left, which sees De Bruyne's cross headed away by Rami in the middle.
City manage to keep the ball for a good spell inside the Sevilla half and they soon make progress down the right with Navas. His ball into the middle is a tad poor, though, and the away side can head clear. The ball eventually drops back into the path of Navas just a few seconds later and he lashes a shot that flies over the crossbar.
CHANCE! Toure bursts forward in typical fashion before squaring for De Bruyne out on the left channel. The playmaker cuts a ball into the middle, where Bony reacts quickest to pick a shot straight down the throat of Rico in the Sevilla goal. He might have done a bit better there...
Sevilla are yet to really get going in this encounter and they have sat off for much of the early period. Zabaleta has just gone down inside his own half and is receiving some medical attention.
CHANCE! City launch their first counter of the night when Toure wins the ball back and slots in Sterling just inside the Sevilla half. The youngster pushes forward before feeding De Bruyne out wide on the left, who cuts inside before flashing a shot across the face of goal and wide.
OFF THE POST! Fernandinho gets a bit clumsy and he clatters Krychowiak out on the right side of the City half to give the away side a free kick in a great position. Konoplyanka stands over it before lashing a brilliant shot that does for Hart but smashes into the post with the keeper well beaten.
CLOSE! The away side are really getting into this now. A corner comes into the box and evades everyone, leaving Mangala to make a brilliant sliding challenge at the back-post to deny Iborra who aims to come into the action late on.
CHANCE! Sterling shows fantastic pace to beat his marker out on the left and he sends the perfect ball into the middle where Navas is lurking. If the Spaniard gambles a bit more he gets the goal, but instead he delays himself and Tremoulinas clears. End-to-end stuff here.
CLOSE! Simply brilliant... De Bruyne and Sterling link up once more down the left to eventually find Toure in some space just short of the Sevilla box. The midfielder goes for an effort from distance, only to see his shot deflect up and over the frame of the goal as Rico looks on stunned.
We have enjoyed a very open game in the first 20-odd minutes. City are just taking their time now as they aim to take the sting out of some of Sevilla's forward play, which has looked great on some occasions.
CLOSE! Mangala has been fantastic so far. Sagna is undone on the left as Banega finds Konoplyanka in behind the defence. The winger aims to pick out Gameiro across the box, only for the City centre-back to slide in and prevent an almost-certain goal.
Sevilla are still aiming to push forward and it takes some quick-thinking from Mangala who adjusts his feet well to clear the ball out of touch with Gameiro lurking inside the area.
GOAL! MAN CITY 0-1 SEVILLA (Yevhen Konoplyanka)
Ouch! City go to sleep at the back and allow Vitolo to make the most of a deflection to beat the offside trap. The midfielder takes control and squares for Konoplyanka, who breaks free of the whole City defence. The winger makes no mistake with his finish, which is bent beyond Hart and into the bottom corner from the centre of the box.
City aim to repsond and they are able to move freely down the left through Sagna. The full-back picks out a cross for Bony in the middle, who cannot generate enough pace to beat Rico, who gathers calmly in the centre of his goal.
GOAL! MAN CITY 1-1 SEVILLA (Wilfried Bony)
Toure produces another trademark burst forward and he is able to reach the byline, before flashing a pass across the face of goal. Sterling is first to react, but he cannot find a way past Rico as he makes a stunning save. The rebound falls kindly to Bony, though, and he stabs an effort home into the bottom corner. The shot takes a slight deflection off Rami so it will be interesting to see exactly who they award the goal to.
The hosts try to seize the initiative and they come forward through Toure, who then slips in Sterling. The winger finds himself one-on-one with Rami, who pulls off a memorable sliding tackle to deny the City man from breaking beyond him into the box.
CHANCE! This game continues to go from one end to another in a flash. Sevilla have a great chance as Tremoulinas goes down the left before cutting the ball back for Konoplyanka, but he can only slide his effort straight into Otamendi who blocks well.
Navas has been quite for a while, but he comes back into the game to carve out some space on the right before curling a great cross into the middle of the area. It looks like Bony might just get to it, although the striker comes up a few inches short and the chance flashes past him.
Two minutes of added time here in Manchester...
HALF TIME: MAN CITY 1-1 SEVILLA
What an interesting half of football that proved to be... City have been so open in the middle of the park and that has played into Sevilla's hands. The away side look great value at the moment and they will be proud of their first half performance. Bony's leveller was arguably deserved too as City have been productive going forward. Pellegrini might be a bit concerned at how freely the visitors are moving in the final third, though.
Konoplyanka has been everywhere in the first half and his brilliance has so far given the Spaniards are real shout to take some form of points away from the Etihad tonight. Toure has been City's standout player, though Mangala has also had plenty to do at the back. Hart has been left continually frustrated by his side's positioning in front of him. Kompany is made for solving problems like this...
Pellegrini will be happy with what his side have produced when in the Sevilla half, but the real problem areas are still continuing to cause them issues in defence. This has been a recurrent problem for City in the Champions League, it is rather odd to not be seeing them dominate at home.
Sevilla have managed to wrestle into a possessional advantage following the first half, as they have held 56% of the ball thus far. City will not mind too much as they can counter productively, but they really need to tighten up at the back as they could quite easily concede again given their current defensive positioning.
Bony has been a little quiet in the first half, but he showed great attacking instinct to find his position and turn in the rebound from Sterling's shot. Here is the frontman celebrating the hosts' leveller:
© Getty Images
The players are making their way back out onto the pitch as we await the start of the second half.
KICKOFF! Sevilla get things moving again and they look to pass the ball around the back as they settle into the final period.
YELLOW CARD! Hart almost finds himself caught out under pressure from Gameiro, and he is forced to kick the ball out for a throw. City come forward with a long ball into Bony, who then goes into the referee's book for a foul on Krychowiak.
Sevilla have settled well again and they break into space with Banega, who slips the perfect past beyond the defenders into Gameiro. The striker is forced a little wide and his eventual cut-back is cleared by Mangala.
City enjoy some of the ball down on the right flank and De Bruyne finds some room to try and pick out Bony in the middle. His pass is a touch poor, however, and the visitors are able to hoof clear. The former Chelsea man has been impressive, though the final ball has not come off yet.
CHANCE! Wow, Sevilla should be back in front here. Tremoulinas produces some fantastic work down the left and he eventually slides a cross into the middle of the box. Gameiro climbs highest and is perfectly positioned to nod beyond a stranded Hart, only for the striker to send his header clean over the bar.
More space for the away side and they break forward thanks to Konoplyanka. The winger is able to send a decent cross into the box, where Gameiro runs free of his marker. Luckily for City, Hart is quick off his line to gather. The hosts do not seem to have learned any lessons from the first half.
SUBSTITUTION: Aleksandar Kolarov is on in place of Zabaleta at full-back.
YELLOW CARD! Navas comes into the game out of nowhere to struggle beyond Iborra, who eventually brings him down to concede a yellow and a free kick in a dangerous spot out on the left. The ball into the middle is a strong one, and requires Rico to come off his line and punch clear.
Skipper Coke picks out a superb ball from the right towards the back-post where Iborra is lurking. He manages to get his head to the ball and should score, only to send his header wide of the target. Thankfully for the midfielder, the linesman raises his flag for offside.
The hosts have lacked a bit of cutting edge in the second half. This time De Bruyne comes forward and has very few options, leaving him to choke a long-range drive across the face of goal and wide of Rico.
CLOSE! Sevilla come within a touch of going ahead and the danger comes through Tremoulinas once more. The full-back crosses for Iborra, who mistimes a volley that then deflects off Gameiro before creeping wide of Hart's far post.
CHANCE! Sterling teams up with Kolarov down the left channel, leaving the full-back to pick out De Bruyne who peels away into the middle. The playmaker turns one defender and then sees his shot blocked away for a corner.
CLOSE! And still City fail to plug the gaps as they back off towards their own goal. It is Krohn-Dehli who advances this time, before seeing his driven effort deflected clear for a corner. City need to be careful here.
SUBSTITUTION: Hmm Fernando comes on for Bony, meaning that either Sterling or De Bruyne will now push forward as the hosts' main striking threat. It looks like De Bruyne might actually now be acting as a false nine.
What can City do, they ideally need three points from this fixture? They push forward and end up lumping something into the middle of the box this time, but Rami is having none of it as he heads clear before turning around to organise his defence. He has been brilliant this evening.
Frustrating now for the Manchester club as they aim to push on down the left. Sterling has the ball and he tries to simply slip in Kolarov, but his pass is overhit and Sevilla can fall back on a goal kick.
Both teams are still going at it and it would not be a surprise if we saw a winner here. Coke comes down the right this time, although his cross is cleared away for a corner. The ball into the middle fails to clear the first man and City are able to see away the danger.
City seek to break away on the counter and the ball moves into the path of De Bruyne. He aims to run at the defence only to be swiftly dispossessed by a retreating Iborra.
Mangala comes up short at the back and he is robbed by Mariano Ferreira, although he is then helped out by Kolarov who gets back in time to prevent the cross into the City box.
CHANCE! Navas has the ball on the right and he flicks a great pass in to find the run of De Bruyne. The midfielder lashes the ball across the goal for Sterling, who fails to gamble at the back-post and the chance goes begging. That was it for City, surely...
The hosts come again and it is through Navas again, who shuffles his feet to send a ball into the middle from the right. With no natural central forwards on the pitch, nobody is lurking in the area and Sevilla are able to see things away.
CHANCE! And again for City. Toure is given far too much room in the middle and he breaks into space just short of the Sevilla box. The midfielder goes for goal from range, forcing a smart stop down low by Rico, who punches away on the dive towards his bottom-left post.
GOAL! MAN CITY 2-1 SEVILLA (Kevin De Bruyne)
They have done it! Toure comes again with patience towards the Sevilla box, before slipping a neat ball into De Bruyne who breaks away to the right side of the area. The makeshift frontman takes a touch before cutting inside to bend a standout finish beyond Rico and into the far corner. You could not write this...
FULL TIME: MAN CITY 2-1 SEVILLA
City claim three massive points to register their first home Champions League win of the season. City had looked rather lacklustre for much of the contest, but De Bruyne's quality turned the game on its head. This win could be huge for City's hopes of qualification, although they will need to improve drastically if they want to challenge in the later rounds of the competition. That is going to be all from me tonight, thanks for joining us!
Written by
Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
