Manchester City are on the brink of a Champions League exit after losing 2-1 to CSKA Moscow in a game which saw Manuel Pellegrini's side finish with nine men.

Two first-half goals from Seydou Doumbia, either side of a Yaya Toure equaliser, saw the visitors boast a slender 2-1 half-time lead at the Etihad Stadium.

The clash turned nasty in the second half as a frustrated City side lost Fernandinho and Toure to red cards, allowing the Russians to close the game out far easier than they would have expected.

Below, Sports Mole sorts the heroes from the villains in a madcap clash at Eastlands.

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Goal

Joe Hart: Was helpless to do anything about both of CSKA's goals, and did not actually have a save to make until the dying minutes. Little more than a spectator. (6/10)

Defence

Pablo Zabaleta: Perhaps slightly guilty of not being tight enough to Doumbia for his second and ultimately decisive goal. Failed to add anything positive to City's attack, too. (5/10)

Vincent Kompany: Looked a shadow of his best version tonight and City's hierarchy might now consider Piers Morgan's jovial £60m offer for the Belgian. (4/10)

Martin Demichelis: Struggled with the movement of Doumbia and Musa at times in the first half, but fortunately did not find himself under the same pressure after the interval. (5/10)

Gael Clichy: Comfortably City's worst player. He conceded the free kick that led to the opening goal, before his sliced clearance directly led to the match winner from Doumbia. Shocking all around from the Frenchman. (3/10)

Midfield

Fernando: Looked a little off the pace in the first half as City's back four was far more exposed than it should have been. Subbed on 65 minutes for Edin Dzeko. (4/10)

Jesus Navas: Had a great chance to cancel out CSKA's first goal but fired well over the bar. Found it difficult to utilise his blistering pace and was subbed at half time for Samir Nasri. (4/10)

Yaya Toure: Atoned for losing Doumbia in the lead-up to the first goal by executing a fantastic free kick to level up. However, a moment of stupidity from the veteran earned him a deserved red card in the second half. (4/10)

James Milner: Perhaps the hosts' best player on the night with a tireless performance and slightly unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet. Had City found a way back then he would have given the directions. (7/10)

Attack

Stevan Jovetic: Can count himself unlucky to be subbed at half time after emerging as one of City's better players in the first 45 minutes. Won the free kick that led to Toure's equaliser. (6/10)

Sergio Aguero: Was given little more than a sniff by CSKA centre-halves and resorted to diving in the box, which earned him a yellow card. He did see a legitimate appeal waved away, though. (4/10)

Substitutes

Fernandinho: Looked to be having an impact after coming on at half time, but two silly bookings in the space of eight minutes cost him and his team. Disappointing from the Brazilian. (3/10)

Samir Nasri: Very little impact in the final third and the hosts were fortunate not to finish with eight men after he kicked out at Eremenko. Another hot-head that City could have done without tonight. (3/10)

Edin Dzeko: Linked up well with Aguero at times but did nowhere near enough to work himself into the game. (4/10)

Goal

Igor Akinfeev: CSKA's best player after producing a series of crucial stops in both halves to thwart the hosts and force them to press the self-destruct button. (8/10)

Defence

Mario Fernandes: Struggled to keep up with the industrious Milner at times but overall did not put a foot wrong at right-back. Decent. (6/10)

Sergei Ignashevich: Played a major role in preventing City from scoring in open play with a fine display in the heart of CSKA's defence. (7/10)

Vasili Berezutski: Like his centre-half partner, did not put a foot wrong and joined a very exclusive club of defenders to keep Aguero quiet this season. (7/10)

Georgi Schennikov: Refused to allow Navas space to use his devastating speed, but did lose the Spaniard on one occasion in the first half. (6/10)

Midfield

Pontus Wernbloom: Sat in front of CSKA's defence well and can take huge heart from tonight's win. (6/10)

Roman Eremenko: Found himself the victim of Toure's violent push in the second half in one of the few moments of significance from the 27-year-old. (5/10)

Bebras Natcho: Grabbed an assist for both goals but his creativity was stifled in the second half by not seeing enough of the ball. Doumbia and Musa were a playmaker's dream in the first half. (7/10)

Alan Dzagoev: Should have had an excellent assist but Doumbia fluffed his lines in a one-on-one with Joe Hart. Quiet enough aside from that moment. (5/10)

Attack

Seydou Doumbia: CSKA's two-goal hero had a fine first half but dipped in the second half as the visitors saw less and less of the ball. Probably should have had a hat-trick after missing a one-on-one prior to his second goal. (7/10)

Ahmed Musa: Like Doumbia, Musa was superb up front and his movement caused all sorts of problems. Moved out to the right-wing in the second half but failed to test the dodgy Clichy enough. (6/10)

Substitutes

Georgi Milanov: Replaced two-goal Doumbia at a time when CSKA looked more than happy to protect their lead. Sat in midfield well. (6/10)

Dmitri Efremov: Very little time to have much of an impact after replacing Dzagoev on 87 minutes. (5/10)

Written by
Shane Callaghan