Good afternoon and welcome to live text commentary from Manchester City's clash with Sunderland in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium.

Yaya Toure penalised for a high boot going into a challenge in the final third. Sunderland have had more of the possession in these opening minutes, but it's been an even game.

Milner comes off worse going for a header against Cattermole.

Sunderland holding their own here in the midfield, but the deep cross in from the right whizzes through the crowd of bodies and out harmlessly.

Bendtner, Sessegnon combine, but City's pressing game well exectured there - they've simply driven Sunderland backwards to their defenders.

CLOSE! Good hit from Kolarov, not a firecracker but a placed effort around the wall and at the near corner - and Mignolet had to scramble across to make a good, low save.

Richards still on the sidelines for now but looks set to soldier on. City move forward, and Balotelli wins another free kick when McLean clips his heels. Useful attacking position, this. Kolarov may even fancy a shot.

Richards was hurt there - the physio is on the pitch trying to stretch his leg.

Sessegnon bursts through - catching out Richards with a swift touch and suddenly looking very threatening - but a superb piece of defending from Kolo Toure, who judged his sliding tackle to the inch, stops the Frenchman from getting a shot away.

A decent start from the visitors, but they give away a free kick on halfway when Colback clatters into Balotelli.

Good hit from McLean! Left-footed volley from just inside the box, crisply struck and possibly goal-bound, but blocked by Richards. Half a shout for handball, but swiftly and correctly waved away.

Cattermole tries to control play from the centre of midfield - early attempt from Sunderland to settle down into this one.

Balotelli knocks the ball out wide for Richards, who hits a hopeful high cross into the box - but he gets a result when Bardlsey knocks it out for a corner.

Away we go at the Etihad!

We're ready to go - Sunderland will kick us off. Sessegnon and Bendtner over the ball.

'Man City 4 Sunderland 1' predicts GeordieJohn1982 on Twitter - anyone agree?

Handshakes all round. Today's referee, by the way, is Phil Dowd.

The players take to the field.

So how do you see this one going? Will City be back on top of the table tonight? Tweet me your thoughts and predictions on the game, the title race and beyond @Mark_Eurosport.

Omen? Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli start together in the Premier League for just the third time. They have drawn the previous two matches, last week at Stoke (1-1) and in February 2011 against Fulham (1-1) (Infostrada).

In Manchester City's favour today, their record at home in the league: Played 15, won 15 - scored 44, conceded 7. Sunderland are going to have to do something very different to turn taht around. In the Black Cats favour, however, the result of the reverse fixture at the Stadium of Light - when Martin O'Neill's side stunned the Citizens on New Year's Day.

Meanwhile Sunderland look relatively settled. They had a night to forget in midweek, exiting the FA Cup against Everton, and Martin O'Neill makes just two changes from that starting eleven, swapping in Colback and Kilgallon for the injured Bridge and Kyrgiakos, who moves to the bench.