Hello and welcome to Sports Mole’s live coverage of the Champions League clash between Manchester City and CSKA Moscow. This is a Group D clash and could go a long way in deciding who go through to the knockout stages of the competition.

Heading into tonight’s contest, Manuel Pellegrini’s City find themselves second in the group with six points from three matches. The former Premier League champions are three points behind leaders Bayern Munich, but they are also just three ahead of CSKA.

City have failed to go beyond the group stage of the Champions League in their last two European campaigns, but a win tonight at the Etihad Stadium could just prove to be enough for them to earn a runners-up spot in Group D. Having said that, getting the better of CSKA even at home will be no easy feat.

The Russian giants have drawn their last three fixtures on English soil but have yet to win in four attempts in England. So they do have something of a poor record to get rid of tonight.

The teamsheet has been released and I can confirm that, as expected, Joe Hart has been left out of City’s starting lineup. I will type the full lineups shortly...

MANCHESTER CITY XI: Pantilimon; Zabaleta, Clichy, Demichelis, Nastasic; Nasri, Silva, Fernandinho, Toure; Negredo, Aguero
Subs: Hart, Richards, Lescott, Kolarov, Milner, Navas, Dzeko

CSKA MOSCOW XI: Akinfeev; Ignashevich, A Berezutski, Nababkin, Schennikov; Wernbloom, Honda, Tosic, Milanov, Musa; Doumbia
Subs: Chepchugov, Vasin, Zuber, Elm, Rahimic, Vitinho, Bazelyuk

So no changes at all for City then. Hart remains out of the lineup because of his recent poor form, meaning that Costel Pantilimon retains his place between the posts. Martin Demichelis and Matija Nastasic are the two centre-backs for tonight’s match, while Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo will spearhead the Citizens’ attack.

This is the back-to-back contest between these two sides. They last met two weeks ago in Moscow where City emerged narrow 2-1 winners. Aguero scored both the goals for the English giants on that occasion. Full match report of that clash here.

On the matter of the CSKA lineup, keep an eye out for the highly-rated Keisuke Honda. He will be the one trying to make inroads into the City citadel from midfield tonight. Also watch out for Igor Akinfeev, who is one of the best goalkeepers in Europe.

Let’s look at the two sides’ domestic league form now and see if we can draw any conclusions from that...

Pellegrini’s City did not enjoy the best of starts to the Premier League and struugled on occasions. However, the former Premier League champions have now seemed to have got some kind of momentum and head into tonight’s clash on the back of a 7-0 hammering of Norwich City in the league at the weekend.

That win saw City finish Week 10 of the 2013-14 Premier League campaign fifth in the table on 19 points, six points behind leaders Arsenal. Only Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have picked up more points that the Manchester outfit at this stage of the season – and all of them have got 20.

CSKA are struggling in the Russian Premier League as well. Leonid Slutsky’s side are currently fourth in the division with 27 points from 15 matches, nine points behind leaders Zenit St Petersburg.

However, CSKA have actually started to pick up victories in the domestic arena. Since theur 2-1 home defeat to City, the Russian outfit have won three games in a row. So they do have some form coming into tonight’s match.

What CSKA would not want to happen tonight is a repeat of disgraceful behaviour from their supporters that marred the contest two weeks ago. City midfielder Yaya Toure was the subject of racial abuse from a section of the Moscow club’s supporters

UEFA punished CSKA Moscow by handing them a partial stadium ban, which means that the Arena Khimki will be partially closed for their European fixture against Bayern Munich on November 27.

Interestingly, the defending Russian champions’ coach Leonid Slutsky claimed that the Yaya Toure racism row was “exaggerated” and that there was an “over-reaction” to the incident.

This is what he told reporters ahead of tonight’s match: "We have already spoken about our official position. It is normal, like many people, we are against racism. In our team we have black players. We love them and give them our support. As for the match, we did not hear any racial slurs, so it is difficult to comment. What I can say is the club is categorically against racism. We think the situation has been exaggerated and there was an over-reaction. We have received our punishment, and it was up to UEFA to make this decision. I think we have discussed this matter enough already. The sooner we finish this matter the better. It has been discussed over and over again and brings unhealthy speculation."

Anyway, let’s get back to matters on the pitch. Just over 15 minutes left for kickoff to what should be a very entertaining and enthralling contest at the Etihad Stadium. A win for City could give them a huge boost in qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League, but a defeat will put CSKA back into contention for a top-two finish in Group D.

There are seven other Champions League matches going on tonight and you can find all of them here on this page.

Meanwhile, the other Group D game between Viktoria Plzen and Bayern Munich also kick off at 7.45pm. You can find the live commentary of that contest here.

The atmosphere is electric at the Etihad and the expectations are huge. The City fans will be eagerly anticipating a win tonight, and a stylish win as well.

Five minutes to kickoff at the Etihad Stadium. The two sets of players are getting ready to come out onto the pitch.

The two sets of players are now on the pitch and the pre-match formalities are taking place. The Champions League anthem is playing loud and clear, and that is surely pumping up the players as well as the fans.

The pre-match rituals are over and the players are all set to kick it all off at the Etihad Stadium. All set and ready to go!

KICKOFF: Manchester City kick off proceedings at the Etihad Stadium.

City are hogging possession in the opening minutes of the encounter but all in midfield.

PENALTY Manchester City have earned a penalty in the very second minute! Tosic brings down David Silva inside the CSKA box and the referee points to the spot.

No mistake from Sergio Aguero as he slots home the spot kick with ease past Igor Akinfeev. City are already 1-0 up and I don’t think that CSKA have even touched the ball yet!

CSKA try to force forward as Keisuke Honda plays himself inside the City penalty box. However, the home side’s defenders make sure that the danger is averted. It is all City at the moment.

City are in cruise control of the contest at the moment. That early penalty has made things so much easier for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, who are controlling possession at the moment.

A chance for CSKA with a free kick 30 yards from goal as Yaya Toure is penalised for committing a foul. However, the free kick is not good but earns the visitors a corner, which they fail to capitalise on.

CHANCE! Seydou Doumbia goes close for CSKA after finding himself with a loose ball inside the City penalty box. Pablo Zabaleta fails to clear the ball from his area, then Gael Clichy mishits and the ball falls to the Russian club’s striker, who fails to keep his attempt on target.

YELLOW CARD Zoran Tosic becomes the first player to be booked tonight as he brings down Sergio Aguero around 30 yards from the CSKA goal.

Yaya Toure takes the free kick but his right-footed attempt is high and wide. Still 1-0 to City.

CSKA may be a goal down but they are not out – far from it, as they surge forward and even get inside the City penalty box, but Matija Nastasic makes a good sliding tackle. City boss Manuel Pellegrini will be worried how his side are allowing their visitors to run at them.

CHANCE! Lovely footwork from David Silva as he wriggles himself between two defenders and gets a shot out from inside the CSKA box. Unfortunately for the home side, his attempt is not on target. Samir Nasri was the creator as he danced around the visitors’ defenders.

Twenty minutes gone at the Etihad Stadium and it is still 1-0 to City, who are in control of the proceedings.

As easy as you like. Sergio Aguero makes it 2-0 to City with his second goal of the evening. Samir Nasri releases the Argentine striker, who makes an exquisite turn and that takes him out of reach of his marker. After that, Aguero fires his shot into the net. Quality strike!

CHANCE! CSKA Moscow almost halve the deficit with a freakish goal. Doumbia wins a free kick on the edge of the City penalty area that is taken by Tosic. It loops up off the wall and puts Costel Pantilimon under some distress. Comical.

Pantilimon does better this time from a Honda set piece. He at least holds onto the ball this time.

End-to-end action at the moment as first Negredo tries his luck for City, moments before Honda smashes his effort off-target for the Russian champions.

CHANCE! Now Toure tries to curl one home from outside the area after picking up a Nasri pass with lots of space around him.

City have pretty much wrapped up the match and the win now as they go 3-0 up on the half-hour mark. Alvaro Negredo is the creator and the scorer of the third goal. He plays a lovely one-two with Aguero, who places a low cross into the area from the right flank that the Spanish striker pokes home from just yards out and without being challenged. Awful defending from the visitors.

City are still pressing on and it seems that they are hungry for yet another massive win. At the weekend they beat Norwich City 7-0 and they are already 3-0 up with the first half still in play. The passing and the movement from the City attacking players have been brilliant tonight so far.

Musa is down injured at the moment. The CSKA player appears to have taken a knock to his leg, but he should be fine, I reckon.

CKSA are shell-shocked at the moment and are being forced deep. The game is not being played at a fast pace at all, to be honest, but whenever City have the ball inside the visitors’ half, they look like they could score.

Acrobatic effort from Aguero that he just fails to pull off. A quick attack from City sees Zabaleta get the ball on the right. The Argentine full-back floats in a cross that invites his compatriot for a overhead kick, but it is blocked. Not that Aguero could actually hit it properly...

Musa is struggling for CSKA as he is down yet again. I don’t think that he will be able to carry on for much longer.

CHANCE! City squander a glorious opportunity to go 4-0 up at the Etihad. Nasri releases Zabaleta down the right who then drills in a cross that is missed by everyone. The ball eventually comes back to Silva, but he cannot connect with it from just yards out.

SUBSTITUTION CSKA are forced into their first change of the evening. Ahmed Musa, who has been struggling since that challenge from Matija Nastasic just over five minutes ago, is replaced by Steven Zuber.

Two minutes of injury time have been added.

Seydou Doumbia gives CSKA a ray of hope by scoring on the stroke of half time as he taps in from close range after rounding Pantilimon. The credit for that goal must go to Pontus Wernbloom, who sends his teammate through with a wonderful, defence-splitting pass. Is this the start of a comeback for CSKA?

The referee blows the half-time whistle and brings an end to proceedings of the opening 45 minutes. What a breathtaking football match it has been so far! City have been in cruise control literally from the opening minute, but just before the break CSKA give themselves a lifeline.

Sergio Aguero has been the star of the show for City and broke the deadlock as early as the third minute when he slotted home the penalty earned by David Silva. The Argentine striker made it 2-0 in the 21st minute with a wonderfully taken goal and then crossed for Alvaro Negredo to tap in from close range.

However, Seydou Doumbia gave the visitors some hopes on the stroke of half time when he rolled the ball home after rounding Pantilimon.

City were much the better side in the first half and could have gone 4-0 up, but they are not. An early goal for CSKA in the second period could change the complexion of the match, so City need to be careful how they start the second 45 minutes.

The second half should get underway in a matter of minutes.

KICKOFF: CSKA Moscow get the second half underway. They are 3-1 down from the first 45 minutes.

SUBSTITUTIONS There have been two substitutions at the break. James Milner has come on for Fernandinho, who was largely anonymous in the first half for City. For CSKA, Georgi Milanov has been replaced by Rasmus Elm.

CSKA would have to come out from the start and try to get a goal back as soon as they can, but at the moment it is City and David Silva who are making the attacking movements from the left wing.

Perhaps it would be safe to say that City have wrapped up the points as Negredo scores his side’s fourth and his second goal of the evening. Yaya Toure crafts a wonderfully lofted ball to Nasri, who plays it with the outside of his boot while in the air to Negredo to poke home from just yards out.

Nasri has been superb all evening and, along with Aguero, is a firm contender for the ‘Man of the Match’ award. His pass for Negredo with the outside of his boot while in the air was audacious and sheer class.

Nasri is at it again, this time chipping a ball from the right into the CSKA penalty box that James Milner cannot properly get his head to.

CSKA’s defending has been atrocious all evening, and that was evident in the manner in which they conceded the fourth goal. They have looked capable when on the ball, but off it the Russian giants have struggled to make head or tail of what to do.

YELLOW CARD Yaya Toure is shown the yellow card for a rather stupid challenge on Pontus Wernbloom.

Half an hour left in this match that has already ended as a ‘contest’. City are running the park, controlling possession and territory, and pretty much doing what they fancy at the Etihad Stadium at the moment. They are certainly showing a very good and laudable passing range tonight – Pellegrini’s vision is coming to be realised gradually.

David Silva seems to be struggling as he is signalling to the bench to be substituted. The Spain international midfielder has struggled with injuries this season and manager Pellegrini wouldn’t like to risk him, especially as his side have virtually wrapped up a win.

CHANCE! Rasmus Elm takes a free kick for CSKA from around 25 yards and gets it past the wall as well. However, Costel Pantilimon dives to his left and collects the ball without much ado.

SUBSTITUTION Aleksandar Kolarov replaces David Silva for Manchester City. The Spaniard goes off to a loud applause.

CHANCE! Steven Zuber creates a chance out of nothing for the visitors as he tries to curl home from just outside the City box. However, goalkeeper Pantilimon is alert to the attempt.

City seem to have taken their foot off the gas and are just happy to roll down the clock. After all, they are 4-1 up and there are just over 20 minutes remaining in this game.

PENALTY CSKA are awarded a penalty as Gael Clichy brings down Doumbia inside the area. Very poor challenge from the Frenchman, who really should have done better than to pull down the striker.

Seydou Doumbia dusts himself off, picks himself up and slots home the spot kick past Pantilimon with ease. CSKA have now pulled two goals backs, two more to go. Can they stage a dramatic comeback in the final 20 or so minutes?

CHANCE! Wonderful effort from Alvaro Negredo that would have been the goal of the game if it had gone in. He collects a cross the left, flicks it over his marker and then shoots, but his attempt is off-target

There has been a goal in the other Group D game. Bayern Munich are leading Viktoria Plzen 1-0 away from home, thanks to a header from Mario Mandzukic. If Bayern win and City hold on at the Etihad, then both of them would progress to the last 16 tonight.

SUBSTITUTION City boss Pellegrini decides to take off Samir Nasri, who is loudly applauded by the home fans. On comes Jesus Navas, who will add pace and tricks down the flanks for the hosts.

CHANCE! How could City not be 5-2 up! Another sensational move from the home side instigated by the unstoppable Yaya Toure finds Negredo just yards out from goal, but his effort on goal is somehow kept out by Akinfeev.

SUBSTITUTION CSKA make their final change of the evening. Vitinho comes on for Keisuke Honda.

Ten minutes remain in this contest. City are 4-2 up and there are no signs that CSKA can launch a dramatic comeback and score twice in the final stages of the encounter. Bayern are leading against Viktoria Plzen, which means that both they and City will book their places in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Aguero has gone quiet in the second half but Negredo has stepped up. Once again the Spanish striker causes problem inside the CSKA box – he really has settled into life at Manchester City and looks very much like the superb striker that he genuinely is.

Five minutes remain for the referee to blow the final whistle, five minutes for City to book their place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Sergio Aguero would be my ‘Man of the Match’. He may not be bursting with energy in the second half, but the Argentina international striker was the star of the show in the first 45 minutes, scoring two goals and providing the assist for another. He really is a world-class footballer and tonight he has shown what an asset he is to this slick and crafty City team.

The pace has gone down considerably as City are just trying to run down the clock. And so are CSKA, who know that they can do nothing to save their faces tonight.

Two minutes of injury time have been awarded.

I can confirm that Bayern Munich have defeated Viktoria Plzen 1-0 in the Czech Republic, so the defending European champions are through to the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Negredo completes his hat-trick in the final minute of the game with a terrific header from a James Milner cross from the left flank. That should be the final action of the evening at the Etihad.

It’s all over at the Etihad Stadium where Manchester City have defeated CSKA Moscow 5-2 in the Champions League Group D to book their place in the last 16 of the competition. Sergio Aguero scored twice for the Premier League side, while Alvaro Negredo bagged a hat-trick. Seydou Doumbia was on target on two occasions for CSKA, but that did not prove enough for the Russian giants.

Thank you very much for joining us here on Sports Mole for our live coverage of the Champions League clash between Manchester City and CSKA Moscow. I hope that you enjoyed our text commentary. Hope to see you soon. Have a good night. It’s goodbye from me for now.