Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text commentary of this afternoon's Premier League encounter between Manchester City and Reading at the Etihad Stadium.
With leaders Manchester United not playing until Sunday, champions City can cut the gap at the top of the table down to three points with a victory today.
Meanwhile, bottom-placed Reading are in desperate need of a positive result after drifting seven points from safety in recent weeks.
The match is due to start at 3pm.
Hello there and welcome to Sports Mole's live text commentary as Manchester City take on Reading at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League.
No time for pleasantries just yet - we have some team news...
MAN CITY: Hart; Zabaleta, Kolo Toure, Nastasic, Rekik; Garcia, Barry, Silva, Yaya Toure; Aguero, Tevez
Manchester City make two changes to the side that beat Newcastle United last weekend as Gael Clichy and Samir Nasri miss out through injury. Gareth Barry is back in the side following his suspension, while there is a first appearance of the season for 18-year-old Karim Rekik at left-back.
Rekik, a Dutch Under-19 international has played only twice before for City before he went on a loan spell with Portsmouth during the second half of last season.
READING: Federici; Gunter, Harte, Mariappa, Pearce; Leigertwood, Karacan, Tabb, McAnuff; Kebe, Pogrebnyak
Meanwhile, Nicky Shorey, Kaspars Gorkss and Nol Hunt all drop to the bench for the visitors.
READING SUBS: Taylor, Shorey, Gorkss, Guthrie, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre, Hunt
MAN CITY SUBS: Wright, Kompany, Razak, Milner, Lescott, Sinclair, Dzeko
Man City subs: Wright, Kompany, Razak, Milner, Lescott, Sinclair, Dzeko
That's not a bad looking bench for the champions, is it? Full of quality and the added bonus of captain Vincent Kompany returning from injury.
City have the chance to cut Manchester United's lead at the top of the table down to three points today and, judging by Reading's poor start to the season, you have to say that they will do exactly that.
Reading started the week on a bad note as they were beaten 5-2 at home to Arsenal - their 10th defeat of the season.
It's been a worrying start to life in the Premier League for Brian McDermott's side as that loss to the Gunners left them six points adrift of safety.
Remarkably, these two teams have met only 23 times since their first encounter in 1926. It's been relatively even during that time with 11 wins for City, seven for Reading and five draws.
Due to Reading's absence from the top flight, the last match between these two was a 2-0 victory for Reading at the Madejski Stadium in 2008. However, they met in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup in March 2011 as City saw off the Royals 1-0 on their way to lifting the famous trophy.
Reading's last triumph at City came in February 2007 as they earned a 2-0 victory. That was during their storming first season in the Premier League - remember that?
UPDATE: Today's early kickoff in the Premier League has ended at the DW Stadium and Arsenal have beaten Wigan Athletic 1-0 thanks to Mikel Arteta's 59th-minute penalty. The Gunners were made to work for the three points, but they've moved up to third place in the table with a third consecutive league victory.
You can read all about Arsenal's hard-earned victory over Wigan with our match report here.
Fifteen minutes until kickoff at the Etihad Stadium...
Right, prediction time. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that this could be a long afternoon for Reading. They've been leaking plenty of goals this season, while City have the sort of attacking riches to trouble the best teams in the league. I'm being somewhat conservative with my prediction here, but I think that Roberto Mancini's side will run out 4-0 winners.
Of course, one City striker who we won't be seeing this afternoon is Mario Balotelli. The Italian has been left out of the squad. The reason? Apparently he's ill.
The players are in the tunnel and we're almost ready to get this one underway.
For the record, Yaya Toure is captaining City today in the absence of Vincent Kompany.
The honour of leading the side caps a great week for Yaya Toure after he was named the African Footballer of the Year for the second consecutive time on Thursday.
Here we go then, it'll be City to start the match here at the Etihad.
BOOKING: We're just over a minute in, but we have our first yellow card and it's for Adrian Mariappa. The Reading defender needlessly took out Carlos Tevez. Not the wisest thing for him to do - he'll be walking on the proverbial eggshells for the rest of the game.
City are looking comfortable on the ball so far. They get a corner out on the left, but the visitors do enough to clear the danger.
CHANCE! Hart's nonchalant pass to Rekik is short and Kebe intercepts out on the right side. His cross isn't a bad one, but there's no one there to convert. A moment of panic there for the champions.
Something of a half chance for City as Aguero is put through on goal, but the pass is ever so slightly overhit and Federici comes out to claims.
Despite that last opening for the home side, Reading are starting to feel their way into this game now.
Wonderful from Aguero. The Argentine muscles his way into the Reading box, shrugging his way past two, three defenders. His cross is decent, but it's cleared for a corner. Reading struggle to clear the danger before Silva blazes a volley well over the crossbar from 12 yards.
CHANCE! It's slick from City as Silva goes close. The Spaniard linked up really well with Tevez, only for his low shot to flash narrowly wide of Federici's near post. The hosts are motoring now.
SAVE! Federici comes to Reading's rescue with a point-blank save from Tevez. The striker was played in with a intricate pass from Aguero, but Federici was there to force the corner. The hosts can't do anything with the first, but they get a second. And a third. However, the visitors just about avert the threat.
Reading come forward with Pogrebnyak, but the ball just about runs out of play with Tabb making a great run into the middle.
BOOKING: Referee Mike Dean brings out they yellow card for the second time today following Aguero's challenge on Karacan. It was clumsy, but I think that the Reading man made the most of that.
City get a free kick just inside the Reading half that Garcia floats in. Nastasic goes up for it, only for Federici to claim the ball confidently.
The match has turned rather scrappy in the last few minutes. City are doing there best to unlock the Reading defence, but they Royals are getting the ball away by any means necessary. They've got nine men behind the ball at the moment.
BOOKING: Another Reading defender goes into the book in the form of Adam Pearce for snapping at the ankles of Carlos Tevez. Something of a soft caution, that one.
Aguero gets away down the left and looks to square for Tevez, but Mariappa heroically gets to the ball and clears. That was a great challenge from the centre-back.
HIGH AND WIDE! Reading work a rare opening as the ball falls to Karacan about 30 yards from goal. The midfielder takes a touch before smashing his effort into the stands.
CHANCE! Silva floats a cross into Barry who is waiting on the penalty spot, but the midfielder's header is straight at Federici. There's a slight feeling of frustration for the hosts now as we enter the final 10 minutes of the half.
CHANCE! Silva picks up a pass from Tevez before he jinks his way into the Reading box. He tries to square to the waiting Yaya Toure, only for the Ivorian to get muscled off the ball.
Reading are just about holding on here. City show plenty of patience as they try to create something, but the visiting defence stays firm. Zabalata has a crack at goal that takes a wicked deflection before Nastasic wastes the opportunity from the resulting corner.
It's pretty again from City as they thread a number of passes together, only for Tevez's final ball to run through to Federici. There will be one minute of additional time.
HALF TIME: Man City 0-0 Reading
Amazingly, jeers are heard from the home fans as referee Mike Dean blows the half-time whistle. City have yet to breach the Reading goal, but there's little to criticise about their performance. They've shown plenty of patience and a fair bit of invention, but Reading have defended doggedly to see that they get to the break still in the game.
The Reading fans were actually celebrating at the end of that first half. They obviously see it as quite an achievement to go in goalless at the break with the champions. Their side have offered little up front, but it's been a thoroughly-committed showing at the back from the Royals.
So, what do City need to do after the break to break the deadlock? Bring on Mario Balotelli. Only joking. They've attacked well at times this afternoon, but there's been a lack of players in the box at times. Silva, Aguero and Tevez have all got into decent positions out wide, but they've only had one or two teammates to aim for in the box.
Meanwhile, Reading will surely look to get up the pitch a bit more. They need someone to link defence with attack, but that's easier said than done when you're under pressure from the first whistle to the last.
I must say that I don't understand the City fans booing their own players as they went off the pitch and down the tunnel.
Anyway, the two teams are out for the second half and it'll be Reading to get us underway...
No changes for either side at the break.
Both teams seeing plenty of the ball in the opening stages of this second half.
Kolo Toure, of all people, has a crack at goal from outside of the area, but it's blocked by the Reading defence. The ball comes to Tevez who creates some space for himself before dragging his shot wide.
SAVE! Tevez deceives everyone when he goes for goal instead of crossing a free kick in from the right, but Federici is able to punch clear.
CHANCE! Reading win their first corner of the game and it's a teasing delivery from Harte. Pearce is at the back post, though he can only head over. He looks disappointed with himself and so he might be.
If you're wondering how Premier League debutant Karim Rekik is getting on for City, well, he hasn't really had too much to do. He's looked competent on the ball, while being supported by his teammates.
Silva gets some space out wide again and he floats another ball into the box that Federici collects.
SUBSTITUTION: City make the first change of the afternoon as Edin Dzeko comes on for Javi Garcia. The Bosnian striker has rescued his side a number of times this season. Can he do it again today?
BIG CHANCE! How has that not gone in?! Zabaleta does really well on the right to beat a couple of men before he dinks in a cross that is begging to be converted. However, it somehow evades three men waiting in the middle. Remarkable.
Plenty of moans and groans ringing out around the Etihad now. Every time that a City player doesn't pass the ball forward the crowd expresses its discontent.
CHANCE! Dzeko shakes off Pogrebnyak to meet Silva's corner, but he clips his header over the bar from eight yards.
BOOKING: Mikele Leigertwood is shown a yellow card now for his clumsy tackle.
BOOKING: Another booking, this time for Yaya Toure's challenge on Jobi McAnuff. The Reading man was driving towards goal there before he was brought down.
SUBSTITUTION: Reading make a change now as Jem Karacan is replaced by Danny Guthrie. Nice of the midfielder to make the trip with his teammates today.
City have cranked up the pressure here in these last couple of minutes. They're pushing hard for that opening goal now, but there's definitely more spaces in their defence as a result.
SUBSTITUTION: Carlos Tevez is the man to make way for City now as Scott Sinclair enters the action.
We've got our first break in the game now following a collision between Tabb and Rekik in the area. Reading wanted a penalty there, but it would have been a soft one. Anyway the midfielder is back on his feet and play continues.
Brian McDermott certainly thought that it was a spot kick - he's barking away at referee Mike Dean. He might change his mind when he sees the replays though.
The game has really opened up now with 10 minutes plus stoppage time left on the clock. Reading are showing less fear in going forward, while City continue to plug away.
CHANCE! Time stands still at the Etihad for a moment as Aguero's deflected effort looks to be looping towards goal. However, the ball drifts wide and City can't do anything with the corner.
CHANCE! It's really open now! Kebe leads a Reading counter attack and looks for Pogrebnyak in the middle, but the ball just misses the striker.
SUBSTITUTION: James Milner comes on for City now in place of Karim Rekik.
We've got five minutes plus added time left to play...
SUBSTITUTION: Reading make their final change with Nicky Shorey on for Ian Harte, who has picked up a knock.
Half-hearted appeals for a penalty there as Aguero is put under pressure, but Mike Dean signals a goal kick.
Wow. There will be four minutes of added time. Can City find a winner or will Reading hold on?
CHANCE! Aguero makes a driving run into the area, only for his shot to hit the sidenetting.
GOAL! Man City 1-0 Reading (Barry)
Can you believe it?! It's take 92 minutes but City have what is surely the winner. Silva whips the ball in and Barry leaps above Shorey to head in. Incredible
FULL TIME: Man City 1-0 Reading
The final whistle goes and Manchester City have earned a dramatic 1-0 win over Reading thanks to Gareth Barry's injury-time winner. The Reading players aren't happy with referee Mike Dean - they think that there was a foul from Barry on Nicky Shorey for the goal - but the City players and fans are jubilant.
Anyway, that's all from me this afternoon. Thanks for your company and I'll see you again soon.
Written by
Jack Prescott
Jack Prescott
