Manchester City made the trip to Sevilla in Group D of the Champions League on Tuesday night, as they aimed for three points to push them closer towards qualification.
Manuel Pellegrini's charges produced a remarkable first half to ensure a 3-1 lead courtesy of Raheem Sterling, Fernandinho and Wilfried Bony come half time.
The visitors then put together a strong defensive display in the second period in order to claim a vital three points away from home.
Given results in the group's other fixtures, the Sky Blues' away win clinched early progression into the knockout stages.
Relive all of the action with our minute-by-minute updates below.
Good evening all and thanks for joining us as we bring you live coverage of the Champions League Group D clash between Sevilla and Manchester City at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in Spain.
City's late win over Sevilla at the Etihad last month has put Manuel Pellegrini's men in prime position to ensure progression into the knockout stages. A win away from home this evening would ease a lot of the pressure surrounding City and would confirm their place in the driving seat of the group.
As for Sevilla, a loss tonight would likely see them struggle to make it out of Group D, while any form of points would put them in a decent position going into their final two games against Juventus and Borussia Monchengladbach.
The visiting Citizens could actually confirm a last-16 place come the end of this evening if other results go their way in the group. However, Unai Emery's side, who won the last two Europa League tournaments, currently find themselves on a run of ten home wins in all UEFA competitions.
Time for some team news now...
SEVILLA STARTING XI: Rico; Tremoulinas, Rami, Kolodziejczak, Coke, Krychowiak, Iborra, Banega, Vitolo, Konoplyanka, Llorente
SEVILLA SUBSTITUTES: Soria, Escudero, Mariano Ferreira, Krohn-Dehli, Reyes, N'Zonzi, Immobile
MANCHESTER CITY STARTING XI: Hart; Sagna, Kompany, Kolarov, Otamendi, Fernando, Sterling, Navas, Fernandinho, Toure, Bony
MANCHESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Caballero, Mangala, Clichy, Demichelis, De Bruyne, Delph, Barker
Well, the major news for City fans is that the destructive Kevin De Bruyne has been left on the bench in place of Fernando who comes into midfield. His inclusion could see Yaya Toure push further forward in support of lone striker Wilfried Bony. Raheem Sterling and Jesus Navas also feature in attacking positions, while Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi are to feature as the visitors' centre-back pairing.
Emery has evidently been impressed by the side that featured in Manchester, and the Sevilla coach has made just one change to the team that started last month. For the hosts, Fernando Llorente has come in to replace the injured Kevin Gameiro. Llorente will be itching to do his best in the competition that he was beaten in the finals of with Juventus last year.
City do have a rather tough challenge on their hands here, given that Sevilla have not lost at home in the group stages of the Champions League, having won six fixtures and drawn one in the tournament.
Added to that, the Manchester club will need to change some poor form away in Spain that has seen City lose by one goal in each of their last three Champions League matches played in the country. As things stand, the Sky Blues' victory over Sevilla last month proved to be the club's first over Spanish opposition since 2011.
We should certainly see some goals in this clash. Los Blanquirrojos have never previously failed to score in their 11 Champions League home matches played, while the visitors have been able to keep just one clean sheet in their last 11 fixtures across all competitions.
Navas is going to experience quite the contest in Spain as he makes his return to his boyhood club. The winger came through Sevilla's academy and made 393 appearances for the Spanish outfit. As well as contributing 34 goals, Navas earned two UEFA Cups, one UEFA Super Cup and two Spanish Cups while featuring for the Blanquirrojos.
Gameiro could prove to be a costly miss for the hosts as he had found himself in some good form before succumbing to a troublesome hamstring injury. Llorente comes in to replace him, and the former Juve man has managed to score in both of his previous fixtures against English competition in UEFA tournaments.
Last month's victory would have brought some personal pleasure to Pellegrini, who does not have the best of records against Sevilla. While managing in Spain, the Chilean coach won five, drew five and lost nine against El Grande de Andalucia.
Here is a quick snap of the ground from a little earlier:
Here at the ground. Edging closer to the kick-off. C'mon @mcfc pic.twitter.com/ONIVxEZRrv
— Cityzens (@Cityzens) November 3, 2015
Some questions had been asked of City's attackers after that late win over Sevilla last time out in the group, as they failed to produce much in front of goal until De Bruyne's brilliance. Since then, however, the club have managed to put together some strong attacking displays to beat Norwich City and Crystal Palace, while also earning a hard-fought point against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Sevilla come into the clash off the back of an unlucky 2-1 defeat at Villarreal, but they have also recently been able to put five past Getafe in La Liga a few weeks ago.
City's overall record in Spain does not fare too kindly on them. Records show that the club have been able to win once, draw four and lose five in the country. The Sky Blues' only victory was a 3-0 win over Villarreal in the 2011-12 Champions League group stage.
Pellegrini has been keen to force home the idea that early progression from the group would be of great benefit to his team. Here is what he has had to say to UEFA in the run-up to this fixture: "The most important thing now is to get to the next round as soon as possible. We have a great team, and many injuries, but we are in a good moment and I hope we continue to improve."
Emery is adamant that a win tonight is the only solution Sevilla have to reach a place in the knockout rounds. He has also been speaking to UEFA: "Manchester City are top of the Premier League and are going to demand a lot of us. Our only option is a win if we are to get through to the next phase."
Sterling has not been in the best of form in recent weeks and he failed to provide much of an attacking threat when these two sides met in October. The winger was left on the bench against Norwich at the weekend so he should be keen to put on a strong showing in Andalusia.
Unai Emery celebrates his 44th birthday today, but he will have to produce something that he has never done before in order to get three points off City. The manager has never beaten an English side in five previous meetings in the Champions League.
Bony has an important 90 minutes ahead of him too this evening. The City frontman has failed to impress in the void left by the injured Sergio Aguero. Youngster Kelechi Iheanacho has been in standout form of late and he is breathing right down the neck of his senior teammate.
We have just under 10 minutes to go now until kickoff and it is time for me to make a prediction. City have looked strong in recent weeks both at the back and going forward and they will be confident of grabbing at least on goal tonight. Spain can often be a tough place to visit and Sevilla will fancy their chances on home soil. I'm going for a well-fought 1-1 draw.
Ever Banega's inclusion in midfield will be a big boost for the home side. He had been struggling with an injury, but has made it back just in time. The creative man has the ability to pick some dangerous balls out in the final third and City will need to be wary of him as they go in search of goals.
Sevilla have never lost three straight games in a European competition. That would change with a defeat tonight given their previous losses to Juve and City recently.
The players are now emerging onto the pitch and we are close to kickoff! It's quickly time for the Champions League anthem, which is met by yet more boos from what is likely to be the City fans.
City are featuring in a woeful lime green kit this evening, while the hosts are playing in white with a tinge of red here and there.
KICKOFF! City get things moving, kicking from right to left. The ball is moved back into defence and then the keeper, before being lumped forward in the direction of Bony, who is unable to gather.
SHOTS! Good pressure from Fernandinho sees the midfielder nip in to steal the ball on the edge of the Sevilla box, but his shot flies wide of the target without troubling Rico who is unmoved. Bony then comes forward just a few moments later, before skewing another long-range attempt wide of the home goal.
Coke shows some brilliant skill down the right flank to get in behind and then flick a cross over the head of Otamendi. Thankfully for City, there is no Sevilla player in sight and the visitors are able to hoof the danger away.
Bony comes into the action for the second time early on and he drops deep to lay off a smart pass for Fernandinho, who drills another shot from outside of the box straight into the comfortable palms of an untroubled Rico.
Sterling comes in off the line and he aims to slip in Fernandinho inside the box, who goes down under a rather hefty push only for the referee to wave play on. That could have gone either way really and City might find themselves a little unlucky not to get a penalty for that.
GOAL! SEVILLA 0-1 MANCHESTER CITY (Raheem Sterling)
Wonderful from City! Fernandinho is perhaps given a little too much space on the edge of the area and he is able to pick out a standout reverse ball in behind the defence for the run of Sterling. The winger collects on the left side of the box and drills down low beyond a helpless Rico into the far corner.
GOAL! SEVILLA 0-2 MANCHESTER CITY (Fernandinho)
What an evening already for Sterling! He shows great desire to rob the full-back on the left, before cutting a pass back into the path of Bony inside the area. Rico does well to get down and make a save, but his tip away flies into the path of Fernandinho, who busts a gut to make some ground and head past the hosts' retreating defenders.
POST! What is happening here? Navas gets some space on the right and he comes inside and then out before wrapping his foot around a wonderful shot towards the far corner. It looks like Rico just about gets something on it and the effort crashes back off the post. City have made a brilliant start.
It appears as though Pellegrini is operating with just one holding man in Fernando, which is basically seeing City playing an attacking 4-3-3 with both Fernandinho and Toure sitting further forward. It seems to be working wonders thus far.
CLOSE! Sevilla are almost back in it as a ball is crossed in from the right, where Iborra is able to make a flick-on into the middle. An unmarked Llorente is the man who meets it, but he cannot keep his effort down as he flicks the ball over the bar from close range.
The home defence is all over the place at the moment. Bony comes a touch deep once more to collect, and he is left unchallenged to fire off on goal, only for Rami to make a telling block before the effort reaches Rico.
Sevilla have just started to settle things going forward, but City are holding firm. The hosts have the ball out on the left with Konoplyanka, but Otamendi stands tall to head his delivery into the box away from danger.
Kolarov breaks into space down the left and he jinks inside before finding Sterling. The youngster tries to do too much inside the area and is eventually dispossessed.
GOAL! SEVILLA 1-2 MANCHESTER CITY (Benoit Tremoulinas)
Some pure brilliance and Sevilla have a lifeline now... Coke goes on a marauding run down the right, and he soon skips past Otamendi inside the City box. The skipper continues before producing a chip to the back-post, where Tremoulinas bustles beyond both Sagna and Navas to head into an empty net.
SAVE! City are living dangerously. The hosts get a cheap corner and the ball is whipped towards the front post, where Kolodziejczak climbs highest to send a strong header down towards the bottom corner. Hart reacts well in the City goal to keep out the attempt, leaving Iborra to lash the rebound wide from a difficult angle.
Sevilla are banging straight back on the door after City's strong start, and the visitors might just want to shut up shop until half time in order to preserve this vital lead.
Strong work from Fernandinho sees the midfielder rob the Sevilla defence once more and he plays a quick pass into the feet of Bony. The striker opens up his body for the shot, only to see his effort deflect wide for a corner. Otamendi meets the cross into the box, although his header goes straight into the grateful arms of Rico in the home goal.
GOAL! SEVILLA 1-3 MANCHESTER CITY (Wilfried Bony)
We are being given a real treat in Spain! Hart picks out a wonderful counter-attacking goal kick towards the right flank, where Navas produces a superb touch to bring the ball down. He cuts inside to complete a one-two before breaking back out towards the right. The former Sevilla man then flashes a good ball across the face of goal, where Bony is left to rush in and place an adroit finish past Rico.
Lovely stuff again from Sterling now as he spins and beats Rami on the counter. The ball is then shifted out on the left for Kolarov, who is able to win corner. Otamendi leaps highest inside the area, but cannot guide his headed effort on target.
City will be delighted if they are able to take a two-goal advantage into the break. The away side have to show some strong defending on the right as Vitolo aims to put a ball into the box, but he cannot get beyond Kompany.
YELLOW CARD! City are almost away on a dangerous counter, before Toure is brought down by Krychowiak, who goes straight into the book for breaking up the play illegally.
HALF TIME: SEVILLA 1-3 MANCHESTER CITY
This arguably been one of City's best halves in the Champions League. The visitors have caused all sorts of problems on the counter, while their direct running at goal from the flanks has left Sevilla tied up in knots. Pellegrini will be delighted with his side's showing in the first period as his plan for one holding man seems to be working perfectly in Spain.
Fernando's role just in front of the defence has given Fernandinho the chance to push forward and he has been a real handful already by winning the ball in dangerous areas and also getting into strong attacking positions. He has a goal to show for his efforts, as do Sterling and Bony who have been equally impressive.
Sevilla have really struggled to cope with City's midfield three and they will need to get tighter in the second half if they want to stop the away side from grabbing more goals. The hosts have offered glimpses of quality in the final third, but Llorente's miss has perhaps summed up their profligacy in comparison to City's efficiency in front of goal.
Much has been said about City's lack of Aguero, David Silva and Samir Nasir, not to mention De Bruyne's exclusion, but the players on show seem to be staking some real claims for themselves. Sterling has responded brilliantly to his critics with some clever movement and forceful running when coming off the left flank.
Sevilla will look at the right side of the pitch as a possible route back into the match. Coke has made two really strong runs already and has caused some problems inside the City area. One more goal for the hosts and you might think that they have a chance of salvaging something...
Perhaps City's improvement is best summed up in the statistic that the Citizens had only netted one first-half goal in their previous six Champions League fixtures prior to this evening. They now find themselves in a great position to claim early qualification. As things stand, they would clinch that tonight given that Gladbach and Juve are currently drawing in Germany.
Pellegrini will be asking for much of the same in the second period. If Sevilla want to get back into this they will need to open up going forward, potentially leaving themselves as prey to City's dangerous counters. You can only see more goals coming in this, really.
KICKOFF! Sevilla get things moving again in the second period...
The hosts enjoy a nice spell on the ball and aim to go forward down the right through Coke, but he is eventually ruled out for offside after trying to get in behind Kolarov.
It has been all Sevilla in the early stages of the second half, this time as Tremoulinas tries to pick out Llorente with a smart ball over the top only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside. The hosts need to be positive despite the scoreline.
CLOSE! Llorente drops off his marker with some purpose and slips the ball out wide to Coke. The full-back jinks inside on his left foot, before flashing a shot straight at Kolarov who is able to make a block.
City break away for the first time in the second half and the move comes courtesy of Navas on the right. The winger comes inside with players moving either side of him. The Spaniard opts for a switched ball over to the left, but Sevilla are able to head clear.
SAVE! Sterling does well to drift over to the right and he skids a ball across the face of goal where Bony is unable to reach it. The pass drops for Fernandinho who adjusts his feet to create a powerful shot on target, however Rico does brilliantly to pull off a standout reaction save to keep his side in with a glimmer of hope.
Sevilla spend some time building a move down the left flank only for Tremoulinas to drift inches offside at the vital moment.
City have not been able to rediscover their pace from the first period, but they are doing well to sit back and absorb some of this pressure from the hosts. Mariano turns a challenging ball into the middle, but Kompany is across to head clear.
Konoplyanka comes down the left now and almost has the beating of the City defence, but for Fernandinho who comes in towards the near post in order to put the ball out for a corner.
CLOSE! Wonderful dummying from Fernandinho sees Toure set free and he soon digs out Sterling at the back-post. The winger comes across the face of goal to try and seek out a clear sight of goal, but his shot is blocked by Rami.
SUBSTITUTION: Llorente has been a touch disappointing tonight and he is replaced by Circo Immobile for Sevilla as the hosts aim to shuffle things around going forward.
The game has just dipped in tempo in the past few minutes, but City will need mind that as they find themselves firmly in the driving seat as things currently stand. Pellegrini is stilling prowling his touchline with an concentrated expression on his face. He wants to seal qualification as soon as he possibly can.
CLOSE! Beautiful from the visitors... Bony spins in the middle of the pitch to release Sterling down the left. The winger knocks the ball inside to Fernandinho, who then slips a wonderful pass into the box for Toure. The former Barcelona man shows great feet to flash a curling shot just inches wide of the target. That would have been some goal.
SUBSTITUTION: City make their first change of the night as an outstanding Sterling is replaced by De Bruyne in attack.
Banega aims to push a quick free kick beyond the City defence for Immobile, but the pass is overhit and the visitors escape unscathed. Pellegrini's men are just sitting off their opponents at the moment and a fourth goal is most likely to come from a counter. Sevilla have had a lot of the ball in the second period, but have failed to do much with it.
Sevilla come again with a deep cross over from the left for Vitolo, who goes to attack the cross with his hand much to the annoyance of Hart. City win the free kick and are able to clear their lines.
These final minutes will have pleased the City coach as his side are showing just how to defend away in Europe. Early goals have helped things a lot in this contest, but you cannot write off how good the visitors have been in defence tonight.
CLOSE! City spring a quick break through Toure who smashes forwards at pace before laying off for Bony. The striker cannot quite gather the ball first-time, but he is able to get a shot away before it is blocked in front of goal by Kolodziejczak.
As things stand, this win would be enough for City to earn progression this evening given that Leverkusen and Juventus are currently locked at 1-1 in Germany.
SUBSTITUTION: Bony is replaced by returning midfielder Fabian Delph, who is being brought in to shore up the middle of the park in the closing moments.
SHOT! De Bruyne gets involved late on down the right with a bursting run forward. The Belgian beats his maker, before firing a fierce shot straight into the fists of Rico in the Sevilla goal.
We are going to have four minutes of additional time...
Sevilla are looking increasingly frustrated as they are unable to find a way through once more, this time as Kompany cuts out the run of Vitolo. City are on the brink of progression!
FULL TIME: SEVILLA 1-3 MANCHESTER CITY
So there we have it, Gladbach have drawn with Juve meaning that City's victory has earned them early progression into the knockout stages. The Sky Blues showed great maturity this evening to totally control this away clash. Pellegrini will be delighted with what he has seen in both defence and attack. The visitors were full value for their win tonight and they have become the first English side to beat Sevilla on home soil in Europe. That is going to be all from me tonight, thanks for joining us!
Written by
Christopher Dodd
Christopher Dodd
