Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to LIVE text commentary of Manchester City v Aston Villa at Eastlands on Bank Holiday Tuesday.

A tangle of legs between Albrighton and De Jong... this could get a bit tasty. Might liven things up a little. Refereee Oliver restarts with a drop-ball, which is fiercely contested but merely results in the ball being whacked through to the City defence.

Downing goes for goal, but curls his shot well over the bar.

De Jong flies in late on Petrov, giving Villa a decent position from the resultant free-kick.

Villa kick off the second half. No personnel changes from either manager.

Agbonlahor's through ball for Downing is intercepted by Zabaleta and that's the last action of the half. Manchester City in complete control.

Just one minute of added time to be played.

Yaya Toure is down injured and has to ghet quickly to his feet to receive a pass. He does this, but continues limping around unhappily.

Warnock has a go at goal from the left that flashes wide of the right-hand post!

ALBRIGHTON GOES CLOSE!! He steps past two challenges and fires a low shot that Hart cannot hold, and Lescott arrives just in time to put the ball out for a corner!

Nice cross from Downing with the outside of his boot... Micah Richards rises well to head it clear.

Albrighton crosses from the right but Hart makes an easy catch.

Agbonlahor staggers to the floor inside the box, but the penalty appeals are muted and unsuccessful.

Kompany takes a risk, nearly getting tackled in his own box by Albrighton, but he recovers in superb style, pirouetting his way out of danger.

City are about to go top, so it's not all bad, but you just wish they would use Silva in a central position and sacrifice one of their defensive midfielders - Barry, probably. Balotelli strays offside.

David Silva is playing exceptionally well, especially when he cuts inside from the left and goes through the middle.

Big ovation for Carlos Tevez as he warms up. City fans are obviously more forgiving than their red cousins from across town, who have still got the hump a little bit with Wayne Rooney.

So close Silva! His shot from inside the box takes a big deflection and bounces agonisingly wide! The corner is defended a little better by Villa.

The corner comes to nothing but seriously, how many ways are there to say 'this is a complete mismatch'?

You'll gather from this extended ramble that not much is happening on the pitch. A Silva shot is deflected for a corner.

And more fool anyone who tries to 'cure' him. He is what he is.

Incidentally, the mood in Italy is one of good-natured bemusement that anyone in England is at all surprised Balotelli has turned out to be a bit difficult.