Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Champions League group-stage meeting between Shakhtar Donetsk and Manchester City. The Citizens are already safely through as Group F winners and are aiming to become just the seventh side in the competition's history to reach the knockout stages with a 100% record, while Shakhtar are in the driving seat to finish in second place.

City boss Pep Guardiola will no doubt have an eye on next weekend's huge Premier League showdown against rivals Manchester United, although he did say in his pre-match press conference that he will also respect this competition by fielding a strong side. Any side named by the Catalan will technically fall into the category, but the likes of Phil Foden and Brahim Diaz are both a part of the travelling party and may be involved.

MANCHESTER CITY TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Ederson; Danilo, Mangala, Adarabioyo, Fernandinho, Foden, Yaya Toure, Gundogan, Bernardo, Sane, G Jesus

SUBS: Bravo, Walker, Sterling, Aguero, Otamendi, Duhaney, Diaz

Foden, brought on from the bench against Feyenoord last time out in this competition, does indeed make his full first-team debut for the Citizens. Fellow academy graduate Diaz is among the subs, meanwhile, looking to make his third appearance for the visitors, as is 19-year-old defender Demeaco Duhaney who has yet to previously feature in a matchday squad. Guardiola makes seven changes in all from the 2-1 win over West Ham United.

There is also a fourth start in City colours for centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo, who will line up alongside the more experienced Eliaquim Mangala this evening. Difficult to work out exactly what formation Guardiola is going with tonight, but if it is four along the back then Fernandinho is likely to fill in at left-back against his former club, while Danilo is given a run-out down the opposite flank.

Elsewhere as part of those seven changes, Bernardo Silva - still yet to truly find his feet since a big-money move from Monaco in the summer - is named in a frontline that also includes Gabriel Jesus and Leroy Sane. Raheem Sterling is among those to drop to the bench, meaning that he may not be given the chance to score for a fifth Champions League game in a row, and Sergio Aguero is also in reserve.

SHAKHTAR DONETSK TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Pyatov; Butko, Rakitskiy, Ordets, Ismaily; Fred, Stepanenko; Marlos, Taison, Bernard; Ferreyra

SUBS: Shevchenko, Khocholava, Azevedo, Dentinho, Patrick, Petryak, Kovalenko

In terms of the home side, boss Paulo Fonseca has been handed a major boost as both Taison and Bohdan Butko are fit enough to start, meaning that this is Shakhtar's strongest available XI. Facundo Ferreyra leads the line for the Miners, looking to build on an impressive goalscoring run that has seen him net nine goals in his last nine games. Taison will likely play just off him in what is effectively a 4-2-3-1 formation.

There is no Darijo Srna for Shakhtar tonight, however, as the vastly experienced full-back misses out through suspension. Ismaily and Bohdan Butko are instead picked in the wide defensive areas, with Ivan Ordets and Yaroslav Rakitskiy pairing up in the middle - it could be a busy evening for them! Incidentally, Ferreyra has 13 goals in the Ukrainian top flight this term - matching his tally for the whole of last season.

Another player to keep an eye on tonight is Bernard, who has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League in recent weeks. Not hard to see why - the Brazilian has scored six in his last nine and has five for the season in the Ukrainian top flight, which is already his best haul for a single campaign. Bernardo will interchange with Taison and Marlos, while Fred and Taras Stepanenko occupy central midfield berths.

Pep Guardiola has made seven changes to his Manchester City starting lineup, including a full debut for Phil Foden in midfield - or possibly wing-back, depending on the formation. Shakhtar Donetsk manager Paulo Fonseca can call upon Taison and Bohdan Butko from the off, meanwhile, with Facundo Ferreyra - nine goals in his last nine games - leading the line.

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Shakhtar require a draw from this evening's game to make certain of a place in the last 16 of the competition. The alternative is defeat on home soil and dropped points for Napoli at Feyenoord, though that seems unlikely as the Dutch side have been pretty poor in this Group F campaign so far. It is a group that Man City have pretty much run away with, thanks to a perfect record of five wins from five.

The hosts do have the ball in hand heading into this final matchday, so to speak, though it is tough to say whether they are actually in a strong position than Napoli. The Italian club may be three points worse off, but they have the easier fixture and you would fancy them to hold up their end of the bargain by returning from the Netherlands with maximum points. An early goal in that fixture would make things very interesting here.

Fonseca's men were on the brink of qualifying for the last 16, needing a positive result away to third-place Napoli last time out. The Serie A side, who relinquished top spot in their domestic league last weekend, came out on top 3-0 in that one to ensure that we have an entertaining battle on our hands for second place. Shakhtar had won three of their four matches heading into that match at the Stadio San Paolo, but even that may not be enough for progression.

Shakhtar failed to score in their away meetings with Napoli and Man City, though they have netted five times in their two previous home fixtures against the Partenopei and Feyenoord, and they will surely fancy their chances of notching at least one tonight in front of their fans. I say their own fans - the Donetsk club are actually their home matches in Kharkiv for the time being due to political unrest, where their record is not so great: five wins from 14 in this competition.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS! These two sides have met on just one previous occasion, coming in the reverse fixture a little over two months ago when Manchester City ran out 2-0 winners at the Etihad Stadium; Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling scoring the goals. Shakhtar Donetsk are unbeaten at home to English opposition, though, winning four and drawing two, including a 1-1 draw with Manchester United in the most recent of those games four years ago.

As well as being unbeaten at home against English opposition, the Ukrainians have avoided defeat in seven of 13 fixtures overall against Premier League sides. Their record in Kharkiv is not so great, as touched upon a little earlier, though it should be said that two of those five previous wins here came during the current campaign. This is also their seventh appearance at this level in eight years, so they boast plenty of experience.

Overall, Shakhtar have reached the group stage 12 times since 2000 and advanced to the last 16 three times - 2010-11, 2012-13 and 2014-15. They had to settle for a place in the Europa League last time out, however, which helped to improve their home stats somewhat as their defeat to Celta Vigo in the last 32 was just a second on home soil in European competition in 12 matches.

Domestically speaking, the Miners are top of the Ukrainian Premier League, holding a four-point lead over Dynamo Kiev after playing one game more. There is then a further 10-point margin on Vorskla in third, with Shakhtar boasting a pretty decent record of just two defeats in 18 matches - most recently going down 2-1 at home to Oleksandria to five Kiev a little hope. That said, you would still fancy them to pull ahead of their rivals.

Shakhtar have lost just three of their last 22 games in all competitions, with two of those coming at the hands of Man City and Napoli in the Champions League, while at home they have won nine of their last 11. Going further back, though, they have suffered a couple of league defeats at home already this term - they have not lost more than that across the duration of the campaign since 2006-07.

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City are at no risk of crashing out of the competition tonight, meanwhile, as they have cruised to the top of Group F and sealed top spot with a game to spare. This is a special evening for boss Pep Guardiola, who is managing in the Champions League for the 100th time, boasting a 62% win rate from his 99 previous matches - better than the other five managers to have reached the milestone figure.

DID YOU KNOW? Pep Guardiola's 62% win rate is the best of any manager to have reached 99+ fixtures in the Champions League. Jose Mourinho is joint-second with Carlo Ancelotti, boasting 55% each, while Sir Alex Ferguson is on 54% and Arsene Wenger on 47%, albeit after far more games than Guardiola. Also on the list is the lesser-known Mircea Lucescu, who has a win rate of 35%.

City bidding to become just the seventh side to win all six group fixtures in the Champions League, then, potentially joining AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Sporting Lisbon, Barcelona and Real Madrid (twice). Incredibly, none of those teams have gone on to win the competition, with Italian giants Milan the closest to doing so when reaching the final in 1993. The Citizens will not let that hold them back.

The Citizens have visited Ukraine twice before, facing Dynamo Kiev on both occasions with mixed success - one win and one defeat - while overall their record against teams from this country reads three wins, one draw and one defeat. It is fair to say that City have been on fire in the competition this term, though, scoring four goals in both away fixtures and taking 15 points from a possible 15.

They have defeated all comers in Europe so far in Guardiola's second campaign at the helm, and now have just one more hurdle to jump over to write a piece of history. They may have required a late goal to see off Feyenoord on home soil a couple of weeks back - Sterling scoring for the fourth group-stage fixture in a row - but there is no denying that they deserve to be well clear at the summit.

Guardiola's charges can face either Basel, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Juventus, Real Madrid or one of Sevilla, Porto and RB Leipzig. There are four obvious names they will want to avoid in the first knockout stage round - hardly much of a reward for cantering through the group if they were to be drawn alongside Barca, Juve, Real or Bayern. Regardless, City will be confident of beating any side on the continent right now, boasting the best form in any division.

Guardiola has certainly improved things massively in his second campaign, having endured his first trophyless season in senior management last time out. City failed to win any of their four away games in the Champions League in 2016-17, including their heaviest ever defeat in the competition at the hands of Barcelona when falling to a 4-0 loss at Camp Nou. Now, they are not only winning away games but scoring goals for fun - eight in two so far.

With kickoff at the Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv now a little over five minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.

Paulo Fonseca: "If we look at City's performances this season, I think we can call them, if not the best, then definitely one of the best teams in the world right now. I have had similar deciders in my career but this is the first time I have had such a game in the Champions League. We are not going to follow the game in Rotterdam. We will be doing our job here and if we do it well, if we play our best football, that match will not matter. We know Napoli will do their best to get the necessary result at Feyenoord."

Pep Guardiola: "We are doing well but that doesn't mean you will achieve the title. In this competition, one bad half and you are out. I'm not concerned if we are playing the best football. The last month we were ok, stable, had more chances, conceded less and we believe in what we do. We are so happy to be in the last 16 but it will be tough. I saw them play Napoli, their midfield is good, their build-up is perfect. It's a tough game, a tough team, we spoke in the last game, we travelled here to win the game, to make a good performance and show respect for the clubs and this competitions."

Fonseca using the classic 'we will focus on our own result' line, knowing that Napoli are strong favourites to hold up their end of the bargain by beating Feyenoord in the Netherlands tonight. If that does prove to be the case, the Miners need to avoid defeat against a perfect City side, who are looking to extend their 28-match unbeaten run in all competitions by another game.

Guardiola is keen to show the competition "respect", meanwhile, knowing that Napoli are relying on an away win tonight. Defeat for City would not be the end of the world, but losing their long-running unbeaten run - stretching way back to the FA Cup semi-finals in April - is not ideal heading into that huge showdown with Manchester United four days from now. Momentum is key; three points will therefore be the target.

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KICKOFF! We are under way at the Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv. Man City seeking a sixth win from six in Group F, while home side Shakhtar need to avoid defeat if they are to join their opponents in reaching the last-16 stage.

Man City lose possession on the right-hand touchline and, one pass later, Taison is played in on the edge of the box. Good chance to get a shot away, but his range was well off and the ball flew high over Ederson's crossbar.

GROUP F UPDATE! Piotr Zielinski has given Napoli the lead against Feyenoord inside two minutes - exactly what Shakhtar did not want. They know that should they concede, the Italian club will climb up to second place in the standings.

A bad sign for home boss Fonseca, as Taison - a fitness doubt before the match - is holding his hamstring. The Brazilian does not look comfortable at all and may well have to make way before this match is even 10 minutes old.

A positive Shakhtar break culminates in a shot being blocked inside the box. Taison pulled up during the move, but he is determined to run it off. Subs being sent to warm-up, regardless, in what would be a big early blow for the home side.

The Ukrainian side still not ready to bring on a replacement for Taison, who is playing through the pain barrier for the time being. A bright start for the hosts overall, with one half-chance being created, which the Citizens managed to defend.

City get the ball forward from front to back and win themselves a corner. It is worked short and did not arrive in the box, though the Citizens remain the side seeing more of the ball over the last few minutes in Kharkiv.

A big night for Bernardo Silva, who needs to produce something to prove that he warrants regular playing time in the big matches. The Portuguese sends a good cross into the box, which is helped behind for another corner.

The Ukrainian champions certainly not looking to simply sit back on a point; they know that a goal will seriously strengthen their hopes of progressing, with City then needing to score a couple. It remains very tight here.

Foden is playing at wing-back, incidentally, with Fernandinho filling in at centre-back when required. The youngster got down the flank moments ago and found Jesus, whose touch then let him down on the edge of the opposition box.

Still awaiting the first chance, or indeed first real shot, of the contest. City seeing more of the ball but they have not really done much with possession in the final third of the field, while Shakhtar are also remaining patient.

SAVE! Best moment of the match so far as Taison, seemingly fit enough to continue playing after that early injury scare, plays in Marlos. The shot was a tad weak, though, and Ederson did not have to do a great deal to keep it out.

YELLOW CARD! City full-back Danilo is the recipient of the first caution of the evening for his high foot. No Man City players are at risk of an automatic suspension, with the card count then due to be wiped after this match.

Marlos goes down inside the box under contact from Mangala, but replays show that the City defender got to the ball first. The offside flag then goes up against Gabriel Jesus 15 yards into the opposition half to further frustrate him.

City have yet to get going in Kharkiv and their unbeaten start to the season is again at risk. Bernard uses a runner down the left as a decoy, buying himself some time and curling the ball out of Ederson's reach from just inside the box - an exceptional goal.

SAVE! Big save from Ederson to prevent City from falling two behind. Taison run at the opposition defence and then slipped it through for Bernardo, who was this time denied down low by the Man City goalkeeper.

Ederson is caught in no man's land when racing out to stop a deep pass, allowing Ismaily to knock the ball past him and roll it into the back of the net. City, who had trailed for a combined 83 minutes this season, are heading towards their first defeat since April.

GROUP F UPDATE! Shakhtar boss Paulo Fonseca cannot quite believe what is happening, as Feyenoord have levelled up against Napoli. The Ukrainian side now have a five-points advantage over their rivals for second place.

SHOT! City's best moment yet, with Sane getting the better of two players down the left and cutting it back into a central position. Foden did not have time to react, however, and his first-time shot flew over the crossbar.

Guardiola must surely be tempted to change things around at the interval, with his side very much second best here. The Citizens have still yet to create a clear-cut chance, with that pull-back for Foden as good as things have got so far.

The visitors are looking much better all of a sudden, getting bodies in and around the box. Gundogan had a shot blocked, before Danilo won it back and looked to pick out a teammate from the left, but Pyatov was there to collect down low.

CHANCE! Shakhtar look so dangerous when they get bodies forward. Taison again involved, floating the ball towards the back post where Fred is waiting to blast it goalwards. Good block by Mangala in front of goal to keep it out.

CHANCE! From nowhere, Jesus is given something to chase down by Foden. The Brazilian has made a habit of burying these chances, though on this occasion Andrij Pyatov was quickly out to pounce on the ball at Jesus's feet. Taison then blasts over.

CHANCE! Shakhtar are creating some great chances, with the latest falling to leading marksman Facundo Ferreyra. The forward turned well but could only pick out the gloves of Ederson in the City goal with his shot.

The referee blows his whistle for half time, leaving Man City with it all to do in the remaining 45 minutes. The Citizens created one big chance at the end of the half, but that aside the hosts have been very bright and deserve to be in front.

Despite knowing that a point is enough to seal progression to the last 16, regardless of how Napoli perform against Feyenoord, Shakhtar were unwilling to sit back and were rewarded with a couple of first-half goals. City were given a warning when Marlos tested Ederson with a fairly tame attempt, which they failed to take as Bernard curled home a sublime opener five minutes later.

The Brazilian used a decoy run down his left to buy an extra second, before guiding the ball out of Ederson's reach from just inside the box. Ederson was equal to Bernard's next shot, which was this time hit low and hard, but the second goal of the evening arrived 32 minutes in through Ismaily. A ball over the top was not dealt with by Ederson, who raced well off his line and gave Ismaily the chance to simply knock the ball around him and roll it into an empty net.

Full debutant Ben Foden failed to adjust for his shot 12 yards out and Gabriel Jesus got the ball stuck under his feet when played through, as the Citizens' response to falling two down fell flat. Shakhtar were instead looking to more likely to add a third before the break, with Facundo Ferreyra forcing Ederson into another stop and Fred smashing the ball into Eliaquim Mangala from close range.

BENCH WATCH!

SHAKHTAR DONETSK SUBS: Shevchenko, Khocholava, Azevedo, Dentinho, Patrick, Petryak, Kovalenko

MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Bravo, Walker, Sterling, Aguero, Otamendi, Duhaney, Diaz

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RESTART! City have showed plenty of fighting spirit in recent weeks, scoring late winners in their last four outings, and they nearly pulled one back seconds into the half. Sane got on the end of the cut-back but his shot was saved by Pyatov.

The Citizens already looking a lot brighter in this second half. Makeshift wing-back Foden got high up the pitch and picked out Jesus, who in turn looked to feed Bernardo Silva. No way through for the visitors just yet, though.

City boss Guardiola opting against making any changes at the break, then, despite his side's 28-game unbeaten run being at serious risk of ending in Kharkiv. It has been 227 days since they last tasted defeat of any sort.

SHOT! Toure unhappy with Foden, who he played in down the left and expected a return pass from. The youngster instead got caught in two minds with a shot-cross, which Pyatov. Up the other end, Taison smashes the ball over the bar once again.

No doubt that City are the dominant side now and, if they can pull one back soon, we really will have a game on our hands. The visitors' latest attack comes to an end with Foden's overhit pass finding the gloves of Pyatov.

YELLOW CARD! Yaroslav Rakitsky is the first Shakhtar player to be shown a yellow after going right through the back of Gabriel Jesus. From the free kick, captain-for-the-night Fernandinho nodded Silva's lofted cross wide of the target.

Danilo does well down the right to provide an overlap, but the cross is too close to Pyatov who was there to collect ahead of Jesus. Guardiola may be thinking of a change as we approach the hour mark; Aguero and Sterling among his back-ups.

YELLOW CARD! Poor call from the referee to shown Gundogan a yellow card for his challenge, unless it was for dissent afterwards. City with plenty of momentum on their side, though they need to find a route into the game soon.

Ismaily loved bombing forward down the left, and on his latest foray forward he sent a cross into the middle for Ederson to pounce on. The full-back went down and has yet to resurface, though like Taison before him he will hope to run it off.

MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Here comes the second of City's youngsters, with Brahim Diaz brought on for Leroy Sane for the final 25 minutes or so. Looks as though he will play in the number 10 position, where Foden would love to feature.

SHAKHTAR DONETSK SUB! Ismaily has failed to shake off that hamstring injury and has now been replaced by Azevedo. Shakhtar cruising towards the last 16 at the moment, with Napoli still being held by Feyenoord in the Netherlands.

Azevedo taking over from where Ismaily left off by powering down the left, but his cross lacked precision and went straight behind for a goal kick. Twenty-two minutes left and City still in need of a couple of goals at the Metalist Stadium.

MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Guardiola has decided that enough is enough - on comes Aguero, who takes over from Fernandinho in a change of formation. The oncoming striker has netted in both away European games so far this season.

Danilo perhaps a tad lucky as he avoids a second yellow for following through on Azevedo. The Citizens, unbeaten in 28 matches, have lost all the momentum they had in the early stages of the half, not helped by play being broken up.

Bernard with a sublime take to draw a foul out of Bernardo Silva. Taison then gets involved, showing good footwork but getting his finish all wrong 18 yards from the target, sending the ball swerving away from goal rather than towards it.

SAVE! City concede a free kick around 30 yards from goal, which Yaroslav Rakitsky curled up and over the wall. Ederson was well positioned, though, and was there to keep out the home side's first serious attempt of the second period.

Baring an absolute miracle, Napoli are heading for the Europa League post-Christmas. The Italians will be a big loss in this competition, but Shakhtar have performed well on the continent and deserve their place in the last 16.

We are into the final 10 minutes at the Metalist Stadium, where City require not just one late goal on this occasion but two. Defeat is not the end of the world, of course, but it will be a shame to see this unbeaten run come to an end.

OFF THE POST! As good as we have seen from City all evening, as Diaz gets in behind and just about picks out Jesus at the front post. The Brazilian flicked the ball towards the target, but the post got in his way and Shakhtar are let off.

SHAKHTAR DONETSK SUB! Kovalenko, readied to come on for Taison inside the opening seven or eight minutes, is finally introduced. Marlos is the player to make way, having put in a good shift to surely help his side to all three points.

Diaz works the ball into the penalty area and is brought down, but contact was minimal. Guardiola still has one more sub available to make - could we see late goal expert Sterling? Time really is against the Citizens now in Kharkiv.

City going through as Group F winners, as we already knew before a ball was kicked tonight, while Shakhtar will finish in second. Real disappointment for Napoli, who are still being held to a 1-1 draw by bottom-place Feyenoord in the Netherlands.

We are now into added time in Kharkiv, with four minutes of added time to come. Gabriel Jesus picked out the side-netting with his shot a minute or so ago, but the offside flag had been raised anyway. Just not been his, or City's, night.

Bohdan Butko brought down Gabriel Jesus inside the box and substitute Sergio Aguero thumped the penalty home to give his side a glimmer of hope. Around 60 seconds of added time left to play at the Metalist Stadium... I wonder?

Shakhtar Donetsk beat Manchester City 2-1 at the Metalist Stadium to book a place in the last 16 of the Champions League and end their opponents' unbeaten run. Bernard put the Ukrainian champions ahead 26 minutes in, before Ismaily added a second soon after to leave the visitors with it all to do. The Citizens maintained their recent run of scoring late goals, but Sergio Aguero's penalty was not enough to salvage anything in Kharkiv as Shakhtar held on.

That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from this Group F fixture. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while reaction from this and other fixtures to have taken place across Europe tonight can be found elsewhere on the site in due course.