Morning all. So, we've reached that stage of the Premier League season where virtually every match has something riding on it. Thankfully, this game does not buck the trend. Both of these clubs have plenty to play for and every point now matters. Let's hope that it makes for a cracking encounter.

While a lot of the attention is bound to be on Manchester City, this really is a big game for Everton. They still harbour hopes of playing in Europe next season and if they are to realise that ambition, then a victory here is imperative. It would also help banish the memories of last weekend's FA Cup humiliation against Wigan Athletic.

Right, the team news is starting to filter through from Goodison Park. We will start with the away side because there are a couple of big omissions...

MAN CITY XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Kolo Toure, Nastasic, Kolarov; Milner, Garcia, Barry, Silva; Tevez, Dzeko

So, we already knew that Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero were struggling to be fit for the champions, but the absence of Yaya Toure is a big shock. City never look the same side when he is not in the midfield. In his place comes Javi Garcia, while Edin Dzeko will partner Carlos Tevez in attack.

A couple of tweets on Man City's official page reveal that Toure is actually unwell:

"Yaya Toure is unwell. Nothing serious, but bad enough to keep him out unfortunately. More on Yaya's illness. He's suffering from a migraine which is keeping him out. Get well soon, big man!"

As mentioned in the previous post, the Ivorian will be missed by City. Anyway, let's now see what Everton will be starting with...

EVERTON XI: Mucha; Coleman, Heitinga, Distin, Baines; Mirallas, Osman, Gibson, Pienaar; Fellaini; Anichebe

Like City, the home side also have some injury problems. Goalkeeper Tim Howard is still suffering with a back problem and as a result Jan Mucha will continue to deputise. Another big absentee is Phil Jagielka, who suffered a nasty leg injury against Reading a fortnight ago. Meanwhile, Victor Anichebe will play as a lone striker.

And here are the two benches:

EVERTON: Jelavic, Oviedo, Naismith, Neville, Barkley, Duffy, Springthorpe

MAN CITY: Pantilimon, Razak, Nasri, Sinclair, Lescott, Clichy, Lopes

One of the bigger names among the substitutes is Nikica Jelavic and you can understand why. Following his form last season, he would have been the pick of most fantasy football managers up and down the land! However, since the turn of the year, he has scored just once and that was against League Two side Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup. In recent weeks the Croatian hasn't even looked like scoring a goal. That is why Anichebe starts.

On the other bench you will find probably a rather unhappy Samir Nasri. No disrespect, but David Silva aside, there is not too much creativity in the Man City midfield. Having said that, French international Nasri has not been at his best at times this season and reports have even claimed that he could be sold in the summer. Even so, he would have some a little different to that Man City lineup today.

Talking of Man City departures, as well as Nasri, it has been claimed that Roberto Mancini is willing to part with 10 of his squad members. The Italian is said to be extremely unhappy with how his team have played this season. Perhaps a few of them can change his mind with a decent display today. If you're interested in who the other players that could be on their way out are, here is the report.

One player that Mancini is bound to be keen to keep hold of is Pablo Zabaleta. The Argentine, who has arguably been City's best player this summer, believes that today's match will be a "very tough" one for his side.

"Everton away is always very tough," Zabaleta told the club's official website. "It's a game that they always want to win and it is going to be hard for us.

"So, defensively we have to be very organised and fight for every ball and with the quality we have we need to create and take our chances when they come along."

While Zabaleta has been City's best player, Marouane Fellaini has been Everton's shining light. However, he wasn't last week. Against Wigan he was poor and was jeered by some Everton supporters when he was substituted against Wigan Athletic - something that he didn't take too kindly to. In the days leading up to this match, Moyes has urged the Belgian to make it up to the fans.

"His reaction wasn't right, it wasn't the correct one and I have told him that," Moyes told reporters.

"He knows that he should have played much better, and yes, he may have some making up to do with the fans, but I won't have any trouble picking him.

"I'll play Marouane against Man City as I have to give us the best chance of winning. That means picking our best players and giving them a chance to make amends."

Following that defeat to Wigan, Goodison is not the happiest of places to be at the moment. However, while City are regarded as the favourites to win today, they have a very poor record from their trips to Everton. The Toffees have lost just once from City's last 14 visits. If the away side don't shake up the form book today, surely the title race will be over.

Of course, one of the most memorable victories for Everton over City was the one that they achieved last season. Former Man United midfielder Darron Gibson scored the only goal of the game, which you can see below:

There is actually quite a strange atmosphere building up inside Goodison at the moment. It is normally such a noisy ground, but things seem a little subdued. That probably has a lot to do with the loss to Wigan and the missed opportunity in the FA Cup. I doubt that it is anything that an early goal for the home side wouldn't help correct.

The players are now in the narrow tunnel at Goodison. Leon Osman, who will captain Everton while Phil Neville is on the bench, looks extremely focused. Not long now until we get started.

Here we go then. Everton, kicking from right to left, get the Premier League's first match of the weekend started. Game on!

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It's been a relatively even start to proceedings here at Goodison. Neither side has been able to create a goalscoring chance, with the ball spending a lot of time in the middle of the pitch. It's Everton who have had more of the possession, but it has counted for very little so far.

Half a sight of goal for Everton as a corner from Leighton Baines is flicked on to Kevin Mirallas, who cannot react quickly enough. The ball bounces off the Belgian striker and City are able to block him off and Kolo Toure hacks clear the danger.

BOOKING! That will not be the first impact that Fellaini would have been hoping to make. He goes into the book for a late lunge on James Milner on the right touchline. It's a costly yellow card because it is his 10th of the season, which means that he will miss the next two matches through suspension.

DISALLOWED GOAL! It's a wonderful finish from Mirallas, who smashes the ball into the top corner of the net from 10 yards out and then wheels away in delight. Unfortunately for him and Everton, the celebration is cut short by the assistant's flag for offside. Replays show that Man City have got lucky because Aleksandar Kolarov had played the Everton striker onside, just!

City are yet to get out of first gear. There is a distinct lack of pace in their starting lineup today and as a result they do not have any outlet. With Everton applying as much pressure as they are, it would be useful for City if there was a pacey player up the other end of the pitch. It would ease things, that's for sure.

One disappointing factor for Everton so far has been the delivery of Baines. Usually the full-back is so deadly from wide positions but on the three or four occasions that he has had crossing opportunities today, he has hit the first man. That's very unlike the England defender.

SAVES! First chance for Man City and it's Tevez who plays a key role. The Argentine striker exchanges passes with Silva before unleashing a shot from the edge of the area. It's an easy hold for Mucha, but it is a sign of intent from the away side that had been lacking so far. Then, moments later, the Everton keeper is called into action to deny Edin Dzeko from 10 yards out. That's better from City.

BOOKING! Steven Pienaar is unhappy that Everton were not awarded a free kick for a trip on Osman moments before so takes his frustrations out on Gareth Barry, who ends up in a heap on the floor. The South African midfielder is deservedly booked for his troubles.

BOOKING! The pressure has been mounting on Lee Probert to show a yellow card to a Man City player and now he has. Kolarov can have no complaints though because he bundled Osman to the ground. Someone should tell the Serbian defender that the rugby is on later today!

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What a wonderful, wonderful strike from Leon Osman. Coleman pulls the ball back to the Everton skipper 25 yards from goal and he unleashes a curling effort with the outside of his left boot. Joe Hart is stranded in goal as the ball flies into the top left hand corner of the net. What a strike! It was similar to the free kick that Roberto Carlos scored back in 1998. Unbelievable. Everton needed that and Goodison Park has come to life.

CHANCE! Lovely football from Everton, who went really close to going 2-0 in front. Seamus Coleman frees Darron Gibson down the right and the Irishman sends over a cross for Anichebe. The Nigerian takes one touch, before shooting on the turn, but the ball goes just over Hart's bar. Positive stuff from the Toffees.

CHANCE! Dangerous moment for Everton as Dzeko gets up above Baines to meet a cross from Kolarov. The Bosnian times his jump wrong though and can only succeed in heading the ball well over the crossbar. Meanwhile, up the other end, Kolo Toure diverts Mirallas's header off target.

There will be a minimum of two minutes of stoppage time at Goodison.

BOOKING! Silva gets away with pushing Coleman in the back, but then the City attacker hacks away at the full-back's legs, bringing him down in the process. It's a deserved yellow for the Spanish international - his first of the season.

Moyes wanted a reaction from his players following last week's humiliation and boy has he got it. His side have got at City from the very first whistle and when the opportunity arose, they have played some very good football. There is still a long way to go obviously, but it looks good for Everton right now.

Far be it for me to tell Mancini how to do his job, but City's tactics so far have to be looked at. They are playing three at the back, which means that they do not have a full-back. As a result, both Baines and Coleman have been having plenty of fun for Everton in wide areas. What's more, there is no pace whatsoever, which means that there is no outlet.

What will be even more disappointing for Mancini is the fact that some of his key players have not looked interested. Dzeko has spent most of his time arguing with the referee, while unusually Silva has been sulking. Tevez is the only one of the trio that looks to be up for it, but he cannot do it on his own.

Having said that, there is nothing that City could have done about Osman's goal. It really was one of the best strikes so far this season. From distance you'd always give a keeper like Hart a chance, but he was powerless - so much so that he didn't even bother moving. As soon as the ball began to bend, he knew that he was beaten.

Right then, City get the second half of a match started that they must win. It's going to be a big 45 minutes for both teams.

Nasri has just started to warm-up on the touchline. He may not have always been great for City this season, but they desperately need some more creativity on the pitch. If the score stays this way, it surely won't be much longer until Mancini turns to the French attacker.

So far, not much has changed as far as City are concerned. Their passing has been poor and there is very little urgency. A central midfield pairing of Barry and Garcia does not scream pace and creativity and that is how it has played out. Changes are needed unless they score soon.

CHANCE! A big opportunity for the visitors as Barry flicks on a corner from Kolarov to the back post. Matija Nastasic is there waiting for what looks to be a simple tap in, but Anichebe flicks out a leg to put off the City defender and the chance is gone.

CHANCE! Osman goes mightily close to claiming his and Everton's second of the afternoon. It's a corner from Baines that City fail to clear and the Everton skipper volleys goalwards. The ball catches Garcia though and drops onto the roof of the net. Had that been on target, Hart would have been struggling.

Shocking stuff from Pienaar. He was already on a booking but quite rightly Lee Probert has handed him a straight red card. He goes into a challenge with Garcia and rakes his studs down the City midfielder's leg. That could have caused the Spaniard a serious injury. Not only that, but Pienaar has left his side to face the champions with 10 men for 30 minutes. It could change the whole complex of this game.

Already Everton have dropped much deeper and consequently City are seeing an awful lot more of the ball. So far the Toffees are defending well, but if this carries on, you'd have to back City to find the net.

SAVES! Take a bow Mr Mucha! The Everton keeper has just kept his team in front with a smart double save. First he gets down quickly to deny Tevez from close range, before getting up to throw himself at James Milner and block the England midfielder's shot. He receives a great response from the home faithful and rightly so.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Here comes Nasri for Man City, who takes the place of Barry. Everton also make a switch and their supporters are not happy. Mirallas, who has played well, comes off to be replaced by Steven Naismith. Although Mirallas had been good, he was tiring so you can more than understand Moyes's thinking.

The TV cameras have just cut to Mancini and the Italian does not look overly happy. He is barking out orders as his side search for a route back into the game. He hasn't played much this season, but maybe Scott Sinclair would be a good option. He has pace, which City are lacking at the moment.

CHANCE! Quite simply, Everton should be two goals to the good. This time Baines gets his delivery from a corner spot on as Hart comes and misses the ball completely. That leaves Distin with what looks to be a simple header into an empty net, but he powers the ball over the bar. How costly could that prove to be at the final whistle?

SAVE! Mucha is having an absolute stormer in the Everton net right now. City work an overload on the right which eventually sees Silva slot the ball through to an onrushing Zabaleta. The Argentine powers a shot goalwards, but Mucha is brave and the shot is blocked.

Coleman has been one of Everton's best players today and he just saved a certain goal at the back post. Kolarov curls in a cross from the right and it looks as though Tevez has the most simple of headers to level up proceedings. Coleman has other ideas though and manages to get his body in front of the City striker to flick the ball away from danger. Fantastic defending.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Final two changes for City as Gael Clichy and Sinclair come onto the pitch in place of Milner and Toure. The elder Toure brother does not look happy with that decision and heads straight down the tunnel.

Oh dear Lee Probert - what a terrible decision. Tevez's goalbound shot is clearly blocked by the hand of Fellaini, who is standing a yard or two inside the Everton area. It's a certain penalty, but the match official gives a free kick. That is so wrong it is untrue. Kolarov then hits the wall and City are fuming. You can understand why as well.

SUBSTITUTION: It has been a great shift from Anichebe, who has run his socks off for the Everton cause. The Nigerian is given a well deserved rest and Jelavic has come on to help see out the game for Everton.

Everton have three minutes of stoppage time to survive at Goodison Park.

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Some great defending from Everton. It looks as though they are going to hold on here...

What a time for Jelavic to score his first Premier League goal since December. It's a breakaway from Fellaini, who eventually picks out Jelavic. The City defence stand off the Croatian, who sees his shot from the edge of the area deflect off Clichy and loop into the net. He's booked for his celebration, but no-one will care. Game, set and the match!

Providing Man United see off Reading later today, the title race could well have been ended at Goodison this afternoon. Not that it will concern Everton, who have their own targets to meet. They've done their season the world of good by deservedly winning against the champions. From the first to last whistle they were the much better team. It's a great atmosphere inside Goodison - what a difference a week makes!

That is all we have time for from Merseyside. Thanks for joining us this afternoon and be sure to stick around with Sports Mole for coverage of all the football from at home and abroad. Until next time, goodbye.