Hi there! Three days after seeing their European campaign fall to pieces, reigning Premier League champions Manchester City are back in action. While they haven’t won in the Champions League this season, City’s league form has been a lot better and they come into this evening’s meeting with Swansea on the back of two wins.

Swansea, currently tenth in the table, recorded a narrow win over Wigan last time out and will be hoping to cause an upset here.

15 minutes until kick-off, teams will be along shortly.

Man City: Hart, Richards, Nastasic, Kompany, Clichy, Nasri, Toure, Barry, Kolarov, Tevez, Aguero. Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Toure, Evans, Sinclair, Dzeko, Balotelli.

Swansea: Vorm, Rangel, Chico, Williams, Davies, Ki, Routledge, Britton, de Guzman, Hernandez, Michu. Subs: Tremmel, Dyer, Graham, Monk, Shechter, Tiendalli, Agustien.

So City start with Argentinian pair Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez up front, while Matija Nastasic begins at centre-half in place of Joleon Lescott. Swansea will look to Spanish striker Michu, who has scored seven times already this season, for goals.

Referee Martin Atkinson is getting us underway here.

City attempting to impose themselves on this early but, as expected as being met with two defensive banks leaving Michu up top on his own. Micah Richards gets the ball out wide but his cross crashes off the back of team-mate Samir Nasri. They retain possession, until Nasri’s through ball runs all the way to Michael Vorm.

Aguero bursts through before his strike partner Tevez takes up possession and forces his way into the Swansea box. Chico Flores times his challenge well, however, and the chance is gone.

Wayne Routledge is shoved to the ground by City skipper Vincent Kompany and Swansea have themselves a free-kick in a decent position. The delivery is spot on but Joe Hart misjudges the flight of the ball. Thankfully, he wins a free-kick for offside.

Routledge again causing problems but this time Richards wins the ball cleanly. The journeyman winger brings his team-mates into play and Rangel Angel takes an almighty dive after Gareth Barry obstructs him.

The defender picks up his fifth booking of the season so will miss the next match against former boss Brendan Rodgers and his new side Liverpool next week.

Tevez runs the left channel, outmuscles his marker and plays a teasing ball towards Aguero… but it’s a couple of yards ahead of him and Vorm collects.

Michu is receiving treatment, meanwhile, after colliding with Richard while trying to get on the end of a cross.

Michu’s alright to continue and has returned to the field. Laudrup will be happy with what he’s seen in the opening 25 minutes.

City seemingly suffering from a European hangover here. They look fairly laboured in their play but have been pushing for an opening in the last couple of minutes. As of yet, they’ve had no joy.

As ESPN’s John Champion has just informed us, this is the firs time Messrs Mancini and Laudrup have locked horns. In the 1992 European Cup final, Barcelona beat Sampdoria thanks to a Ronald Koeman free-kick with the pair both featuring.

Frankly, this has been a dull affair thus far so why not watch a short highlights clip of that game.

YouTube credit: Bh0kal

Tevez has carved out a couple of half-chances while Michu has the ball in the back of the net but is ruled offside. Three minutes until half-time.

Half-time: Manchester City 0-0 Swansea

We’ve reached the break and boos ring around the Etihad. Surely the second 45 minutes can’t be as bad as that… can it?

Carlos Tevez. Credit: Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport

Right, let’s go. We’re back and I’m optimistic that we will see go. And it’s looking more promising already as Aguero runs at the Swans backline then fires a shot wide of the mark.

No doubt the City players will have been given a stern talking to by Mancini after their lacklustre first half display.

He’s also brought on Mario Balotelli for Aleksandar Kolarov.

Substitute Balotelli is immediately in the thick of it and should really have put City one up. He goes around Vorm but hesitates and the opportunity goes begging.

A minute later, Richards is away down the right from Tevez’s terrific pass but Balotelli can’t get onto his square-ball.  Much better from City.

Super chance for Swansea. They string together a good 20 passes and Pablo Hernandez crosses fro Michu. The former Rayo Vallecano man meets it with his head luckily for Joe Hart it’s straight at him.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Swansea (Carlos Tevez)

There we go. City are in front and deservedly so. Tevez gets the ball out of his feet 20-odd yards from goal and pings a shot into the bottom corner. Michael Vorm has been injured in the process and will be taken off by stretcher.

The Dutchman is replaced by second choice goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel.

Leon Britton is off for Danny Graham and Swansea will presumably shift to two up front in order to chase a goal.

Jonathan de Guzman finds a clearance at his feet and decides to have a pop from the edge of the City box. It’s a decent strike but curls just past Hart’s far post.

Balotelli, first tripped by his own man Tevez, attacks down the right but runs into trouble and loses possession.

Nathan Dyer has been introduced for Pablo Hernandez.

Micah Richards looks to be in a lot of pain. While Swansea attack, the English defender goes down clutching his knee and they are fortunate to get the ball away with a man out of action.

While there’s a stoppage in play, why not watch the only goal of the game:

YouTube credit:MsOfficialfootball

The stadium’s medical staff are busy tonight as Richards is the next play to get the stretcher treatment. Ivorian defender Kolo Toure is on in his place.

Nathan Dyer, not on the pitch long, has been booked for a foul on Gael Clichy. Five minutes remain but we are sure to have several more due to the lengthy spottages in play.

The fourth official’s board reads TWELVE MINUTES, yes you heard me right, of added time. City will be content to just run down the clock now but if Swansea want it enough there’s still plenty of time to nick something here.

There’s something oddly satisfying about it…

Sergio Aguero has made way for Joleon Lescott.

Ki shoots widely from distance and doesn’t come near to troubing Hart. It looks as though City will be taking all three points here.

Full-time: Manchester City 1-0 Swansea

City strike the bar but, after 103 minutes, the final whistle is, finally, blown. The extraordinary amount of additional time means this is officially the longest Premier League game in history. One to ask the lads down the pub.

Far from a vintage City display but a win was vital to keep up the pace, especially with Chelsea and Manchester United meeting tomorrow. That puts the Citizens just one point off top spot now.

That’s all from me. ‘Til next time!