Afternoon. Doesn't the weekend just fly by when there's Premier League football on?! It's already Sunday afternoon! Still, we've got a cracking match to round off the action for more reasons than one.

He's been away from the Premier League since 2010 but Rafael Benitez returned with a bang last week! Already he's under pressure because a number of the Chelsea fans are not keen to have the Spaniard leading their club. A win today may well get a few on his side though.

Before we get into more about Benitez and the statistics for this match, the teams news is out...

CHELSEA X1: Cech; Azpilicueta; Luiz, Ivanovic, Cole; Mikel, Ramires, Mata, Oscar, Hazard; Torres

So, Benitez has been tipped to get Fernando Torres firing again. He obviously has faith in his fellow countryman as he has recalled him to the starting lineup for the visit of City. Gary Cahill is the man to drop out.

MAN CITY X1: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Kolarov; Barry, Y Toure, Silva, Milner; Dzeko, Aguero

So for the second match in succession Roberto Mancini has kept faith with Edin Dzeko instead of selecting Carlos Tevez or Mario Balotelli - I'm sure they're both happy with that! Gareth Barry and James Milner have also been recalled.

Staying with Mancini's men - a win for them today would send them back to the top of table and ahead of local rivals Manchester United. For a team that is not meant to have played well this season, that's pretty impressive!

Meanwhile, a defeat for Chelsea would leave them trailing their visitors by seven points. While it is only November, that is still a considerable margin.

It's also worth noting that Chelsea have not won either of their last two Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge - losing to Man United and drawing with Liverpool. They have not gone three home games in the league without a victory since December 2008! Equalling that record would not be the best of starts for Benitez!

As mentioned earlier, one player that a few think will be lifted by Benitez's appointment is Torres. The frontman was unplayable at times when the two were together at Liverpool. Having said that, he appears to have lost his clinical touch and pace since joining Chelsea for £50m in January 2011. I'm not so sure that these are things Benitez can help him rediscover.

Of course Torres could have actually been coming up against Benitez's new team today. City manager Mancini admitted earlier this weekend that he considered signing the 28-year-old when it was known that he was to leave Liverpool.

Benitez has just been talking to Sky Sports News. Here's some of what he had to say: "I will try to change little things. Torres is working very hard and has trained very well. So has the team. It's a big challenge but we will see what we can do."

Let's just take you away from this encounter briefly to let you know that Southampton have taken the lead against Newcastle United thanks to a strike from Adam Lallana. You can follow Sports Mole's live coverage of that fixture here.

Here is some words from Mancini, who has also been talking to Sky Sports News: "I think today will be more difficult because when a team changes a manager the first game is very, very hard. Chelsea are one of the best teams. Every game is different."

Mancini also said that captain Vincent Kompany is "100% fit" and that he took part in training yesterday. The heavy strapping around his lower leg seems to suggest otherwise though. Will that risk come back to haunt Mancini and City?

Some harsh words from BBC Sport's Alan Green about Benitez: "I cannot see Rafael Benitez being accepted by Chelsea fans, he's as likely to succeed here as he would be at Old Trafford."

It will be really interesting to see if there are any jeers aimed at Benitez today. Some reports have claimed that a number of fans are preparing to protest against his appointment.

The two sets of players are now in the tunnel. Goalkeepers Joe Hart and Petr Cech share a joke. You wouldn't think that they have a big Premier League game ahead of them!

As the players complete the pre-match handshakes Chelsea fans sing "there's only one Di Matteo". They're making their feelings known early doors!

And before we get underway, there will be a one minute applause for former Chelsea manager Dave Sexton, who sadly passed away earlier today. Sexton was a well respected man within the game.

Following that tribute, Chelsea fans return to singing about Di Matteo. Benitez was also roundly booed as he came out. It's going to be an interesting match. Chelsea get us started...

There are also reports from that some fans in the Matthew Harding Stand have been chanting: "We don't want you here." Good luck Rafa!

First piece of slick football from visiting Man City sees David Silva produce a smart reverse pass for Pablo Zabaleta. Ashley Cole gets back though to clear the danger.

The away side are keeping the ball with an air of assurance at the moment. Silva and Sergio Aguero in particular are shining. Credit to Chelsea though, they're defending well at the moment.

City fans now joining in the chants aimed at Benitez. "Sacked in the morning" they sing!

Chelsea are yet to find their passing range. Torres also looks isolated. He's only had scraps to feed off so far.

And the first time Torres gets the sort of delivery he wants from Juan Mata, he completely misses the ball! He was in a good position as well on the edge of the penalty area.

As Silva goes to take a corner, the Chelsea fans behind him show off their "Rafa Out" banners. Has there ever been a less popular managerial appointment? Boy does he need a win today!

And now with 16 minutes played, the Chelsea fans stand and break into a big round of applause. 16 is the squad number that Di Matteo wore during his time as a Chelsea player. I've never seen fans so opposed to their own manager!

A sight of goal for City's James Milner but he is off balance and Cole gets in quickly to tackle. Very little happening on the pitch at the moment from either team.

CHANCE! A good opportunity for City goes begging. Zabaleta sends in a cross to the near post for Silva. The little Spaniard gets too much on his header though and the ball flies over the bar.

They may have had only one really good chance so far, but Man City are dominating this fixture. They're knocking the ball around nicely. In contrast, hosting Chelsea are yet to test Joe Hart. Perhaps the players are struggling in the surreal atmosphere.

That's a bit better from Chelsea. They won a corner which caused problems to the City defence before it was cleared. They're also keeping the ball a little bit now, with Oscar and Mata getting more involved.

Now the Chelsea supporters are singing about Ashley Cole, making it clear to the full-back that they want him to stay. He has recently been linked with a switch to Paris Saint-Germain.

SAVE! City again go forward with a touch of style. This time it's Zabaleta who has the shot, drilling straight at Cech from inside the area.

SAVE! Finally Hart has been called into action, although he could have carried out his work with his eyes closed! It was David Luiz who had the shot from 40 yards out!

SAVE! City really should be 1-0 up. Dzeko flicks the ball on for Aguero, who is unmarked six yards from goal. The Argentine doesn't appear to be aware that he has time though and sends a tame header floating into the hands of Cech. Had he got any power in that effort, he'd have been celebrating the opening goal.

Well, it doesn't appear that Benitez has turned Torres's form around yet! The striker fails to get away from Kompany inside the City half when three years ago he would have burst through on goal.

What a strange 45 minutes that was at Stamford Bridge. The anti-Benitez chants were expected, but probably not on that scale! At times the songs took people's attention away from what was happening on the pitch - not that there has been much to talk about! City have been the better side without creating too much. They've had one fantastic chance, which Aguero wasted.

While we wait for the players to emerge for the second half, here's our half-time report of the action so far.

The players are back out and City get the second half started. A big 45 minutes ahead...

He may end up scoring before too long but Dzeko up front for Man City has not worked today. It's strange that he was included ahead of the more mobile Carlos Tevez, who has a great goalscoring record against Chelsea.

The way Chelsea have started this second half, it looks as though Hazard has been instructed to play a bit closer to Torres. That's a smart decision from Benitez because Torres was far too isolated in the first half.

First shot at goal of the second half from Chelsea sees Ramires fire two yards over Hart's bar from quite a distance.

It's a much better performance from Chelsea since the restart. Torres looks fired up, Hazard is beginning to get on the ball a lot more and they are winning more 50/50 challenges. Whatever Benitez said at the break, it's working at the moment.

SAVE! Now it's City's turn to have an effort at goal as Toure sends in a daisy-cutter from 20 yards out. Cech gets down low to parry, before holding at the second attempt.

CHANCE! It's a clean strike from Torres but unfortunately for the Chelsea frontman he lashes over Hart's bar from 12 yards out. Considering it was his left foot, I doubt he's hit many better shots in recent months. More positives for Chelsea.

BOOKING! The first yellow card of the match is handed to Zabaleta for a late sliding challenge on Branislav Ivanovic. The Argentine can have little complaints with that.

SUBSTITUTION: Unsurprisingly Mancini opts to replace Dzeko with Tevez. Not too sure why the little Argentine didn't start but he's on now.

SUBSTITUTION: And now we have the first switch of the Benitez era at Chelsea. Hazard comes off and Victor Moses is introduced.

City now have an element of control over this match. Granted they are not creating too much, but they've halted the home side's progress since the restart.

SUBSTITUTION: Another change for Chelsea as Oriol Romeu takes the place of Mikel in the midfield.

SAVE! A smart stop from Cech, who had to use his feet to clear a dangerous low cross from James Milner. City are beginning to push now.

On the plus side for Benitez, the pro-Di Matteo and anti-him chants seem to have stopped! Or at least they are not so loud now.

That's a shocking decision from referee Chris Foy. Hart clearly palmed Ashley Cole's powerful shot over the bar but the official has awarded City a goal-kick. Predictably, Chelsea are not happy!

SUBSTITUTION: This could go one of two ways for Man City! Balotelli is on and Sergio Aguero takes his leave. What Mario will turn up today?!

There will be two minutes of stoppage time at the Bridge.

BOOKING! Well there is the answer to the Balotelli question. He's just been booked for diving following a challenge from David Luiz. In fairness, it's a harsh decision.

Man City will probably be the happier of the two teams after that. Granted they didn't win, but their unbeaten run is still in place and they are only one point behind Man United. On the plus side for Benitez and Chelsea, they've kept a clean sheet.

That's all we have time for from Stamford Bridge. Thanks for joining us this afternoon and be sure to check out our analysis of the action, which will be heading your way shortly.