Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text commentary of today's Premier League encounter between West Bromwich Albion and Manchester City at The Hawthorns.
The Baggies have enjoyed a storming start to the new season with four wins lifting them up to sixth in the Premier League table.
Meanwhile, champions City are one of only two sides yet to be beaten in the league this season and currently sit third as they look to retain their title.
The game is due to start at 3pm.
4.58pmAnyway, that's all from me this afternoon. It's been great having your company and I hope that you enjoy the rest of the sorting action here on Sports Mole. Have a great weekend!
4.57pmRemarkable stuff from City, but isn't tat what champions are made of? They looked like they may have been heading for defeat until Dzeko does what he does best. The result means that City are still unbeaten in the league this season.
4.57pmRemarkable stuff from City, but isn't tat what champions are made of? They looked like they may have been heading for defeat until Dzeko does what he does best. The result means that City are still unbeaten in the league this season.
4.56pmWow. Just wow. Manchester City have somehow won 2-1 here at West Brom in what was a thrilling encounter. Edin Dzeko came off the bench twice to give the champions the points after Shane Long had given the hosts the lead. All that after James Milner had been sent off in the first half.
90+4 minFULL TIME: West Brom 1-2 Man City
90+3 minIncredible scenes at the Hawthors as Dzeko scores surely the winner for City. West Brom nearly took the lead but for Hart's save from Lukaku's overhead kick. However, the visitors broke quickly before Dzeko slotted in calmly from the edge of the box. What an impact he's made.
90+2 minGOAL! West Brom 1-2 Man City (Dzeko)
90 minCHANCE! What an opportunity for the home side to get the win. Ridgewell floats the ball into Lukaku but the substitute can only guide his header straight at Hart. We'll have four minutes of added time.
87 minThe big news is that Man City have found an equaliser to Long's opener. Edin Dzeko, who had only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes after replacing Gareth Barry, rose to head in Tevez's free kick. However, West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster will be happy with the goal as he failed to get anywhere near the delivery.
86 minHuge apologies there as we were experiencing some technical problems.
64 minSUBSTITUTIONS: Changes for both sides now as Peter Odemwingie replaces Graham Dorrans, while Sergio Aguero comes on for Mario Balotelli. The Italian doesn't storm down the tunnel but he throws his gloves to the floor. Bless.
62 minBalotelli takes it and smashes the ball over the bar. Looking at the replays it's a very tough call whether Fortune was in the box when he handled. Either way it was a stupid thing to do on his part but his side get away with it.
61 minCity appeal for a penalty as Fortune handles when challenging for an aerial ball. It's right on the edge of the box but a free kick is given.
59 minCHANCE! Tevez whips the ball in and there's all sorts of chaos going on inside the six yard box. It eventually falls to Toure who pokes over from close range. He really should have done better there.
58 minYacob walking on thin ice now. He bundles Tevez over to concede the free kick after picking up a yellow card earlier in the game.
56 minTevez tries an audacious attempt that goes well wide.
56 minMulumbu and Balotelli have something of a coming together now as City get the free kick.
54 minBetter again from West Brom as they exchange some neat passes around the egde of the box. However, the move breaks down when Dorrans overhits his pass out for a goal kick.
51 minPatient play from West Brom leads to Tamas whipping a cross into the box. Long is lurking but Lescott makes sure the ball runs through to Hart.
48 minCity have their tails up now. It's Clichy this time who has a crack at goal only for Tamas to bravely block the powerful drive.
47 minCHANCE! It's a wonderful effort from Tevez as he curls the ball towards the top corner from the edge of the box but Foster somehow gets there to claw the ball away.
46 minOkay then, here we go with the second half. Manchester City to get us underway...
4.02pmSo, what are we thinking for the second half? Can West Brom make their numerical advantage count or will City earn the three points?
3.56pmAs you can see not too many goals about this afternoon but there were six in today's early kickoff as Chelsea saw off Spurs 4-2 at White Hart Lane to keep up their unbeaten record in the league this season.
3.55pmHALF TIME:
Fulham 0-0 Aston Villa
Liverpool 1-0 Reading
Man Utd 2-1 Stoke
Swansea 0-0 Wigan
West Ham 0-0 Southampton
Fulham 0-0 Aston Villa
Liverpool 1-0 Reading
Man Utd 2-1 Stoke
Swansea 0-0 Wigan
West Ham 0-0 Southampton
3.54pmThere's another five Premier League matches going on right now and here are the half-time scores...
3.53pmDespite the lack of goals, it's been a very entertaining opening 45 minutes here at the Hawthorns. The hosts started the brighter but City soon came back into it. However, their momentum was halted in the 23rd minute when James Milner was red carded for his foul as the last man on Shane Long. Mario Balotelli had a great chance to give City the lead but was denied by Ben Foster. The striker was then lucky not to pick up his second yellow card for a foul on Long. Exciting enough for you?!
3.51pmMulumbu drags his shot before the whistle in blown for half time.
3.50pmHALF TIME: WEST BROM 0-0 MAN CITY
45+2 minCHANCE! West Brom get their first corner of the contest and the ball eventually finds Morrison. The midfielder has a typically spectacular crack at goal from all of 25 yards but the ball sails over Hart's crossbar.
45 minWe'll have four minutes of injury time...
44 minMinutes after showing his quality, Balotelli is lucky not to get a second yellow card. He puts in a meaty challenge on Long but only gets a talking to from the referee.
43 minCity earn their fourth corner of the game. The ball pings around in the box before Kompany tees up Barry, who can only curl his shot over the bar. The West Brom fans are giving the midfielder a bit of stick this afternoon due to his Aston Villa roots.
41 minCHANCE! Absolute magic from Balotelli. The striker somehow dribbles through three defenders on the left side and gives himself the opportunity to have a crack at goal from 10 yards. However, Foster gets something on the ball before it goes out of play.
40 minFive minutes left to play in this first half...
38 minIt's not a bad effort from Yacob, who drags his effort past Hart's right post. West Brom's first proper chance for some time.
36 minBalotelli pushes away Tevez and Toure before striking the ball into the wall. No one was taking that free kick away from the Italian.
35 minBOOKING! Out come the yellow card again, this time for Yacob. He takes down Tevez on the edge of the box and City have a promising free kick.
34 minCity are still marginally on tophere but West Brom have certainly been buoyed by that Milner red card.
32 minBOOKING! Tamas is the latest player to get booked. Referee Mark Clattenburg has been very busy so far this afternoon.
30 minPlay is halted again now after a collision between Hart and Dorrans. The latter was trying to get on the end of a pass but ended up knocking the Man City goalkeeper to the ground accidently.
27 minBOOKING! Long goes into the book now for trying to keep Ridgewell's cross in with his hand. Daft.
25 minTo be fair, there was little complaint from any of the City players, especially Milner. He knew what was coming.
24 minDorrans takes the resulting free kick but City clear. How will that sending off affect the game? The visitors were well in control before that.
23 minRED CARD! Oh my! James Milner is shown a red card for a foul as the last man on Long. However, that all came about when Kompany tried to dribble his way past the halfway line. What was the City captain doing putting his side in trouble like that? City down to 10 men!
21 minDespite their slow start, City are now keeping the ball magnificently. Balotelli eventually whips in a cross to Tevez, who hooks his left-foot volley over the bar.
19 minBOOKING! Guess who? Balotelli is dispossessed by Tamas and then bundles the defender over when trying to retrieve the ball.
16 minThe pair have a nice little chat with Clattenburg, Barry's corner is swung in and West Brom clear.
16 minThe referee now wants to talk to Toure and Ridgewell after the latter goes to ground while waiting for the corner.
14 minCHANCE! Richards gets his head onto the cross but Foster is needed to tip away the effort.
13 minAnother corner for City now as McAuley heads away Milner's threatening cross.
12 minIt's Balotelli testing Foster now as his tame effort from the edge of the box is held by the former England international
11 minIt's a half chance for the away side as the exchange some intricate passes in the area before the ball is played out to Nasri on the right. The Frenchman whips in a cross but it's too close to Foster, who collects.
9 minCity are enjoying their share of possession now, passing it nicely among themselves.
7 minIt's put into a dangerous area but the West Brom defence stands firm.
6 minNasri takes it but it comes off the wall and goes out for a corner.
5 minThe visitors launch their first real attack and are rewarded with a free kick in a dangerous position after Balotelli is fouled.
4 minCity are showing plenty of indiscipline at the moment, giving away needless free kicks.
3 minThis is a really positive start from the Baggies. Kompany heads clear the cross before Fortune tries to take on Clichy out wide. The ball eventually goes out for a goal kick but the home side look up for it so far.
1 minMarc-Antoine Fortune fires in an early shot for the hosts that curls narrowly wide. They want a corner, but referee Mark Clattenburg says no.
3.00pmOkay then, it'll be West Brom to start us off. Here we go!
2.56pmIt looks to be close to a packed house inside the stadium as the players emerge from the tunnel to a great ovation.
2.53pmThe dancers are out at the Hawthorns! Just over five minutes until kickoff!
2.51pmAnyway, back to business at the Hawthorns and I'm going to stick my neck out and predict a 2-1 win for Manchester City today. West Brom have been very impressive so far but City have tremendous quality on their bench if things go wrong.
2.48pmIt's an interesting move from Ferdinand following Sir Alex Ferguson's comments yesterday. The Manchester United boss insisted that Jason Roberts, who first suggested staging the protest over a perceived lack of action against racism, was doing the wrong thing by not showing solidarity. Furthermore, Ferguson said that all of his players would be wearing the t-shirts...
2.45pmWe're hearing that Rio Ferdinand and Jason Roberts are doing the same at their matches.
2.42pmBreaking news of sorts at the Hawthorns as Joleon Lescott is not wearing a 'Kick It Out' t-shirt during the warm up.
2.40pmHowever, West Brom will take some hope from what they did in this game last season which was hold the champions elect to a goalless draw.
2.38pmSince then, the Blues have won four of their five encounters, scoring 13 goals in the process.
2.36pmCity have enjoyed the better record in this fixture of the past few season, with their last league defeat coming in December 2008.
2.32pmThey eased to a 3-0 win over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium last time out to move them up to third in the table.
2.30pmTheir opponents today have had plenty of critics after the first seven matches but it's easy to forget that Manchester City are still unbeaten in the league.
2.26pmAnd why shouldn't they after what has been a very good start to the new season? Four wins from their first seven games have elevated the Midlands club up to sixth in the table, and if results go their way they could find themselves SECOND come this evening.
2.24pmThe Baggies make three changes to the side that beat QPR before the international break as Liam Ridgewell, Graham Dorrans and Marc-Antoine Fortune all come into the side. Good to see manager Steve Clarke playing a positive side against the champions.
2.21pmWest Brom: Foster; Ridgewell, Olsson, McAuley, Tamas; Yacob Mulumbu, Dorrans, Morrison; Fortune, Long
2.18pmWe'll bring you the West Brom team news as soon as we get it.
2.16pmMan City subs: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Aguero, Kolarov, K. Toure, Sinclair, Dzeko
2.15pmSo then, Vincent Kompany and Gael Clichy both return to the City starting lineup, while David Silva misses out as expected with a hamstring problem.
2.12pmMan City: Hart; Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy; Y. Toure, Barry, Milner; Tevez, Nasri, Balotelli
2.11pmRight, we've already got some team news in and it's for Manchester City...
2.10pmHello there and a big Sports Mole welcome to you as we get ready for another weekend of Premier League action.
Written by
Jack Prescott
Jack Prescott
