It may be advantage Everton as far as the League Cup semi-final between these two sides is concerned, but that will count for little this evening. Attention flips back to the Premier League as Manchester City play host to the Toffees at the Etihad Stadium - a big encounter for both sides. Thanks for joining Sports Mole's coverage of events in East Manchester tonight.

We are still 40 minutes or so away from learning tonight's team news. However, over the last couple of days there has been plenty of speculation regarding which players may be absent for one reason or another. Let's start with a look at the hosts...

Boss Manuel Pellegrini confirmed during yesterday's press conference that five senior players have been ruled out through injury - Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, Fernandinho, Samir Nasri and Wilfried Bony. In the absence of Mangala and Kompany, that is likely to mean that Argentine duo Nicolas Otamendi and Martin Demichelis will form the centre-back partnership.

Pellegrini had better news where Yaya Toure and David Silva are concerned, though. The midfield pair sat out the trip to Norwich at the weekend, but both have been passed fit to feature here.

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From an Everton point of view, the most important news came from manager Roberto Martinez yesterday afternoon. Romelu Lukaku, who has found the net 19 times this season, has been struggling with an ankle problem of late. But, Martinez confirmed that the Belgian striker has been training without any issues and is in the squad.

Attack-minded right-back Seamus Coleman has been sidelined for a month, while James McCarthy will also not feature. There are also doubts over Tom Cleverley and Steven Naismith, but Phil Jagielka is back in contention following a lengthy injury layoff.

Talking of Lukaku, he certainly showed his importance when these sides met at Goodison Park in the League Cup last week. With the score locked at one goal apiece, the Everton frontman nodded in with 12 minutes remaining to send his side into the second leg later this month with a slender advantage.

He's also the Premier League's joint top goalscorer on 15 goals along with Leicester City hotshot Jamie Vardy.

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Incidentally, if you want to relive the encounter from seven days ago, you can do just that with Sports Mole's match report here.

And staying with Everton, let's have a look at what their gaffer Martinez has had to say about this encounter...

"The game on Wednesday is so important in the league for different reasons. They're trying to get that top spot and we're trying to get as high up as we can, and the three points are important in themselves.

"Two teams wanting to score goals will make for an open, technical game. We know what we expect, that familiarity won't play any other part.

"I always like to look at our stats through the years and you have to go back over a century before you get a similar return from our away performances.

"But we want to get better and improve. We are going to get heavily tested over the next two games away from home and we will be ready for that."

Martinez talks of his side's away displays this season and it's easy to see why he is quick to highlight it. Wins at Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and Newcastle United have been accompanied by draws at venues like Tottenham Hotspur, Swansea City and West Ham United. Add in the fact that they have also won away at Barnsley, Reading and Middlesbrough in the League Cup and it's little wonder why the Merseysiders are regarded to be tricky customers on the road.

Now, let's have a closer look at the views of Martinez's opposite number, Senor Pellegrini....

"Every game is different - we must try to beat Everton tomorrow, then we think about Crystal Palace.

"We don't know if there will be the same players, the same performance - so much can change in 15 days.

"Everton has a style of play, they're an attacking team under Roberto. They have players in a very good moment so we must be very careful with their counter attack. We must try to score more goals and do more damage to their defence but also be a balanced team. On a good day with a normal performance, it will be a tough game, but I think we can win."

With the team news not too far away now, why not get the take of ex-Everton midfielder Graham Stuart? You know you want to! He believes that it's going to be a "stiff test" for his former club:

VIDEO: Club Ambassador Graham Stuart offers his pre-match thoughts as we build up to kick-off at the Etihad Stadium. https://t.co/Lr8nzuTFn6 — Everton (@Everton) January 13, 2016

Team news ahoy!

MAN CITY XI: Hart; Sagna, Otamendi, Demichelis, Clichy; Fernando, Toure; Navas, De Bruyne, Sterling; Aguero

MAN CITY SUBS: Caballero, Zabaleta, Kolarov, Humphreys, Delph, Silva, Iheanacho

The standout news from that City squad is the fact that Silva has only been included among the substitutes. Pellegrini has stated that the Spanish playmaker is free from injury, so it must be a case of protecting against fatigue at a busy time of year. As a result, Jesus Navas will start as part of an attacking trio behind lone frontman Sergio Aguero. Further back and as anticipated, the two Argentines will operate at the heart of the defence.

And now for the away side...

EVERTON XI: Howard; Funes Mori, Jagielka, Stones, Baines; Besic, Barry, Osman; Barkley, Deulofeu; Lukaku

EVERTON SUBS: Robles, Oviedo, Kone, Mirallas, Lennon, Pienaar, Galloway

Breath a sigh of relief Everton fans - Lukaku starts! He may be nursing an ankle problem, but the in-form frontman has made the starting lineup. Looking at the players there, it seems that either John Stones or Ramiro Funes Mori will operate at right-back, with the other one partnering Jagielka in the heart of the defence. In midfield, it will be ex-City midfielder Gareth Barry's job to protect the Everton rearguard.

The Everton players and supporters alike were bound to have been pleased to learn that Silva was not in City's starting lineup. It means that much of the creative onus as far as the home team are concerned will be on Kevin de Bruyne - a £55m summer signing from Wolfsburg. The Belgian certainly seems to feel at home at the Etihad - of the 13 goals he's been involved in this season in the Premier League, 12 have been scored in front of the City faithful.

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Talking of expensive purchases, it's also a big night for £49m Raheem Sterling and not just because he once wore the red of Liverpool. He didn't start the semi-final last week, so City's England international will no doubt be itching to prove a point tonight.

Here's what he told the club's official website yesterday: "I've never come up against the same team as often as this and it is a pretty quick turnaround, but I didn't play in the Capital One Cup semi-final first leg last week so I obviously hope to be involved this time.

"We know this is an opportunity for us but we just need to focus on what we need to do to win the Premier League and not worry about other teams and what they're doing.

"That way, we don't let anything affect our thinking and purely focus on our own performance. We've played a lot of away games over the past fortnight so we're looking forward to playing in front of our own fans again on Wednesday."

BACK THREE? But will Sterling be up against a four-man defence? Perhaps not. The rumour going round right now is that Everton will start the match with a back three. One would assume that means Funes Mori, Jagielka and Stones operate as the defenders, with Leighton Baines at left wing-back. The right wing-back isn't as clear, though. Would Gerard Deulofeu be trusted enough defensively? Or does perhaps Besic take up the role? After all that, it will probably end up being four at the back!

So, that's Everton defensively, but who could potentially hurt City up the other end of the pitch? We all know about Lukaku, who by the way has scored 10 goals in his last 10 Premier League outings. But, do not disregard Ross Barkley. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder is enjoying a fine season, even if he hasn't scored for eight matches. The youngster has nine goals to his name for club and country this term, six of which have been scored away from home.

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He also knows how to beat City goalkeeper Joe Hart, as he showed with this stunner in May 2014:

PREDICTION: Right, with 15 minutes until kickoff, how is this encounter going to pan out? Surely we will get goals tonight, given that City have scored more goals (39) than any other Premier League side this term. Meanwhile, Everton may be down in 11th place in the table, yet they have found the net just three less than City. I fancy both sides to score, but with Aguero fully fit and firing, the home side could well win this one - let's say 3-1.

If Everton can prove me wrong and pull off a victory, it will be their first at the Etihad since December 2010. On that day they won 2-1 thanks to goals from Tim Cahill and Baines, while Toure was on target for the home side. As well as Baines, Osman and Jagielka were also in the Everton team that day. In the City side was Hart, Toure and now Everton holding midfielder Barry.

Depending on results elsewhere, a win for the visiting Toffees could lift them as high as eighth - a position currently occupied by Liverpool. With regards to City, three points would see them jump to the summit on goal difference, providing that Arsenal and Leicester City lose to Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur respectively. For a look at the full Premier League table, click here.

The warm-ups have been completed, as have the final team talks from the two managers. The teams are now making their way out on to the pitch. Not long now until we are off and running.

KICKOFF! Hosting City get us underway on what is a cold Manchester evening.

Not much to report from the opening exchanges apart from the fact that it is four at the back for Everton, with Stones operating in the right-back position. He's certainly a good enough footballer to adapt to that role.

Everton force an early corner as Osman looks to get forward from midfield to support Lukaku. The ball is whipped in dangerously by Baines, but City are able to clear it with minimal fuss. Martinez will be happy with the way that his side have started.

CHANCE! First real attack for City and predictably it's De Bruyne that is the man involved. He finds himself enough space inside the Everton box to have a shot, but the ball drifts wide of Tim Howard's goal.

Sums up the start to this match rather nicely...

6. Fairly subdued opening. Not helped by the sub-zero temperatures and the traffic chaos meaning a late arrival for many fans tonight. #mcfc — Manchester City FC (@MCFC) January 13, 2016

It seemed for a moment that Everton may be forced into making an early substitution after Otamendi clattered into the back of Osman. The veteran midfielder was hobbling around for 60 seconds or so, but he seems to have shaken the problem off now.

SAVES! All of a sudden this game has shown signs of life with the goalkeepers being called into action at both ends. It's City that go close first when Toure powers Sagna's cross goalwards, only for Howard to do well to thwart the Ivorian. Then, moments later Everton race clear and Deulofeu finds himself all alone at the back post, but Hart is off his line quickly to block.

So close to an opening goal for Everton and it comes from Deulofeu, who leaves City full-back Clichy trailing behind him as he scampers towards the byline. His low cross looks to be perfect for Lukaku, but just as the frontman prepares to pull the trigger, Otamendi slides in to turn the ball behind.

Liverpool have taken the lead against Arsenal, which is good news for City. With Leicester drawing at Spurs, if they can win here and the other two results stay the way they currently are, the Citizens will go top.

Well, that didn't last long - Arsenal have equalised at Anfield! As you can tell, there's not much happening at the Etihad right now!

POST! What an effort from Osman, who really deserves to be celebrating a goal. He may be naturally right footed, yet the Everton midfielder meets Lukaku's cross on the volley with his left boot. It's the sweetest connection you could ever hope to see and it has Hart rooted to the spot. A goal looks inevitable, but the ball skims the post - so unlucky.

Back at Anfield, Roberto Firmino has put Liverpool back in front. That's positive for City, but right now it doesn't look as though are going to take advantage. If anything, Everton look the more likely to score.

MATCH ACTION! Here's a shot of Everton's Deulofeu and City's De Bruyne battling for possession.

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Now it's 2-2 at Anfield as Arsenal equalise - what a game that is! Any chance we could borrow one of those goals here?!

There's no stoppage time as the referee brings an end to what has been a relatively entertaining first half, albeit one without a goal.

It's just not clicked for City in that first half. The two wide players - Sterling and Navas - have barely featured, which means that unless De Bruyne can conjure up something, Aguero is being starved of service. If that continues into the second half, surely it will not be long until Pellegrini turns to Silva to unlock the Everton door.

As for Everton, the only criticism you can dish out is the fact that they haven't been able to break the deadlock. However, that hasn't been through a lack of trying. Osman was so unfortunate to see his volley hit the post, while City goalkeeper Hart has also been in good form. If they can get Lukaku into the game more in the second half, that could be crucial. The form he's been in recently, it would be a brave person that bets against him scoring.

STATS! Some half-time statistics for you, courtesy of the guys at Squawka.

Man City 0-0 Everton HT: Shots: 5-4 Pass accuracy: 90%-89% Chances created: 3-3 Possession: 50%-50% pic.twitter.com/wrA14v1SVy — Squawka Football (@Squawka) January 13, 2016

RESTART! Everton, who were perhaps the better side during the opening 45 minutes, get the second half underway.

BOOKING! The first caution of the contest is issued to Everton midfielder Besic for a trip on Aguero.

Worryingly for Everton, Stones was down for a minute or so receiving treatment on his knee. It looks like he's going to carry on, but the centre-back is limping.

CHANCES! A couple of openings for City, but they cannot convert either of them. First Navas sees his shot blocked by Jagielka and then Besic throws himself into the way of Sterling's goalbound effort. The home side have started the second half in the ascendancy - Everton are holding on a little bit right now.

A quick Stones update - he looks to have shaken off that injury. But, he'll also be worrying the Everton fans! We all know that he's composed in possession, but this is taking it to the extreme. The 21-year-old is continually waltzing out of defence with the ball and into midfield. Yet, when Everton lose possession, it leaves them a man light at the back - madness.

SAVE! It's all City at the Etihad. This time it's Aguero that tries his luck with a well-timed volley 12 yards from goal. There's plenty of power in the Argentine's effort, but Howard gets both hands behind the ball and parries it clear.

It seems that during the break Toure was instructed to get further forward, leaving Fernando to do much of the defensive work. He now seems to be playing just off Aguero, which is causing problems for the Everton defence - nobody seems to know who should be marking the Ivorian.

SAVE! It feels like only a matter of time before City find the back of the net. Sterling weaves his way into the box and then shoots low, only for Howard to stick out a boot and turn the ball away from danger. Everton's American goalkeeper has had his critics this season, but he's playing extremely well tonight.

SAVE! It seems that Howard is on a personal crusade to win the Man of the Match award. This time the veteran keeper sprints off his line to deny Aguero. The rebound drops to Sterling, but he's snuffed out.

EVERTON SUBS: A double change for the Toffees as Deulofeu and Osman go off and on comes Kone and Pienaar.

MAN CITY SUB: Now it's City that make an alteration and it's time for Silva, who replaces De Bruyne.

CHANCE! Another opening for City as Clichy sends over a cross from the left flank. The pint-sized Navas of all people is underneath the ball, yet his headed effort flies well over the top.

CHANCE! A rare venture forward for Everton as Baines picks out Lukaku. The Belgian weighs up his options and goes for goal. The shot has Hart worried, but before the ball can get that far, Demichelis throws himself in the way to send the ball behind for a corner.

All of a sudden it seems that City have ran out of ideas. Everton are now controlling the possession and right now look to be heading for a well earned point.

There will be three minutes of stoppage time at the end of this contest - will we have a winner?

There goes the final whistle and it's a 0-0 draw at the Etihad Stadium. It was an entertaining encounter nonetheless and you'd have to say that a draw was probably fair overall. A special mention for Everton goalkeeper Howard, who made some good saves in the second half.

That's all we have time for this evening. Thanks for joining Sports Mole and until next time, goodbye.