Huddersfield Town boosted their Premier League survival hopes with a goalless draw at Manchester City in Sunday's Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium.
Huddersfield gave City a guard of honour ahead of the match, but the Terriers showed no respect during the 90 minutes as they secured a hard-earned point against the champions.
The draw has seen David Wagner's side move three points clear of the relegation zone with two matches of the 2017-18 campaign left to play.
Read how it all unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live commentary of the action below.
Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Huddersfield Town from the Etihad Stadium. Victory over Huddersfield this afternoon would be City's 31st in the Premier League this season, which would be a new record. The visitors, meanwhile, have dropped into 16th position in the table following Saturday's results, and now sit just two points outside of the bottom three. Stay tuned!
City ran out 2-1 winners over Huddersfield when the two teams met at the John Smith's Stadium earlier this season, but the Terriers are actually unbeaten on their last three league visits to City - winning the last two, although the most recent of those was back in November 1999.
Right, without further ado, let me bring you up-to-speed with the all-important team news from the Etihad Stadium. City won 4-1 at West Ham United last weekend, while Huddersfield lost at home to Everton. Any changes to the respective teams this afternoon? Let's have a look...
TEAMS!
MAN CITY: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Delph; Fernandinho, De Bruyne, D.Silva; Sane, Jesus, Sterling
HUDDERSFIELD: Lossl; Hadergjonaj, Schindler, Zanka, Smith, Kongolo; Mooy, Hogg; Lowe, Pritchard; Mounie
Man City boss Pep Guardiola has made two changes to the team that started against West Ham last time out, with John Stones and David Silva coming in for Aymeric Laporte and Ilkay Gundogan. Gabriel Jesus will again lead the line with support from Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling.
As for Huddersfield, head coach David Wagner has brought in Chris Lowe and Tommy Smith, with Rajiv van La Parra and Collin Quaner dropping out. Lowe makes his first Premier League start since January, while club captain Smith is in for his first start in four matches. Record signing Steve Mounie keeps his spot at centre-forward with Laurent Depoitre on the bench.
So there we have it. The two teams are in, and we are now just about 40 minutes from kickoff at the Etihad Stadium. I shall speak about Huddersfield a little bit later, but let's start with the home side. Victory over Huddersfield this afternoon would be City's 31st in the Premier League this season, which would be a new record, and they would move onto 96 points for the season.
It has been a quite remarkable season for City, with 30 wins, three draws and just two defeats from their 35 Premier League matches seeing them currently sit 16 points clear of second-placed Manchester United. The Champions League will be seen as a big disappointment this term, but they have been comfortably the best team in the Premier League during the 2017-18 campaign.
Huh? Well this is a touch strange.
Man City have won their last three in the Premier League - following a 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur with successes against Swansea City and West Ham in their last two. Guardiola's side have actually lost three of their last four on home soil in all competitions, however, with Basel, Manchester United and Liverpool all winning here since the start of March.
In terms of what is ahead for the Citizens, they will face Huddersfield this afternoon before welcoming Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night. Their final match of the campaign is away to Southampton next weekend, and the Saints will surely need to take something from that one.
As for Huddersfield, the Terries will enter this match in 16th position in the Premier League table following Saturday's results. It has been a bad few days for Wagner's team when considering that Brighton won on Friday night, West Ham beat Leicester, and Southampton picked up a point at Everton. As it stands, Huddersfield are just two points clear of the bottom three.
You have to fear for Huddersfield when considering that they will face Man City this afternoon, before travelling to Chelsea on Wednesday night. The Terriers will then finish their campaign at home to Arsenal next weekend, and they would surely go down with three defeats.
Huddersfield have also only won three of their 17 away Premier League matches this season - scoring just 11 times in the process. They take on a Man City team that have won 15 of their 17 home Premier League matches this term, and it is really difficult to see them picking up a result.
Here we go then; both sets of players are in the tunnel ahead of kickoff at the Etihad Stadium. It is Man City versus Huddersfield in the Premier League, and the latter are still available at around 33/1 to triumph if you fancy a punt! Let's hope for an entertaining game of football.
Huddersfield have given the Man City players the guard of honour, and there will be a second one from the surviving members of the City team that were league champions back in 1968. As expected, there is a celebratory atmosphere inside the stadium this afternoon.
KICKOFF! Man City kick things off this afternoon...
... Huddersfield are one win away from staying up; to get it today would be quite remarkable. Man City are chasing Premier League records, and there is a party atmosphere inside the stadium.
Man City almost break the lines as Sterling finds Silva before darting behind, but the pass is just too strong, and Lossl claims the ball. Huddersfield are trying to hold a high position up the field, but I am not sure that will remain the case as the home side dominate the ball.
SAVE! Smart save from Lossl as the Huddersfield goalkeeper keeps out a strike from Silva, who had raced into the box. The home side are absolutely full of it at the moment.
De Bruyne looks to catch Lossl out with a strike from distance, but the ball was always rising over the crossbar. Huddersfield need to find a way to ease some of the pressure here.
Well, Huddersfield have managed to get through the first nine minutes without conceding, but the early signs are that Man City will keep knocking on the door until they make the breakthrough.
Pritchard has been bright for Huddersfield in the first 11 minutes, with the number 21 using the ball well in the final third. Smart work from Pritchard ends with Mooy striking from distance, but the midfielder's effort was always moving wide of the post. Better from the away side.
CHANCE! Big chance for the away side as Hadergjonaj finds himself free inside the box following a quick free kick, but the wing-back cannot fire past Ederson!
CLOSE! De Bruyne just misses the post with a low strike!
Huddersfield continue to press high up the field, which is forcing Man City to rethink a few things, and the home side are giving away the ball in their own half. Good from Huddersfield.
Mounie, Mooy and Pritchard are all staying high up the pitch, which is a very interesting tactic, and Man City surely did not expect this. It has been a good opening 18 minutes for the visitors.
Still goalless with 20 minutes on the clock, and Man City have not really created too much since De Bruyne struck wide of the post in the 13th minute. Plenty of teams have come to this stadium and sat back this season, but Huddersfield are simply not interested in that.
SAVE! Super save from Ederson to keep out a Pritchard strike!
Still goalless with 23 minutes on the clock, and Huddersfield boss Wagner will be delighted with what he has seen from his team thus far. The atmosphere has also dropped here.
Man City look to break down the left through Delph, but Huddersfield manage to close the door once again. No real chances for the home side since that De Bruyne strike.
SAVE! Good work from Lossl once again as the Huddersfield goalkeeper pushes away a De Bruyne cross. Huddersfield have just started to sink deep here.
CHANCE! Another chance for the away side as Lowe finds himself free at the far post, and the number 15 fires wide of the post. Really should have scored there!
Little over 10 minutes of the first period remaining, and Huddersfield boss Wagner must be absolutely delighted with what he has seen from his team in the first 32 minutes of this match.
Not much in the way of atmosphere at the moment, and that is credit to Huddersfield, who have played extremely well this afternoon. Still a lot of football before the match is out though.
Sterling takes a bit of a tumble inside the Huddersfield box, but the referee is not interested. In fairness, the England international did not really call for it. The visitors attempt to press up the field, but the pressure comes back, and Lossl gets his body in front of a De Bruyne strike.
Huddersfield are just struggling to keep the ball at the moment, and that is inviting City forward. The visitors have put so much into the first 38 minutes of this football match.
City are camped inside Huddersfield's half at the moment, but the home side cannot seem to find that final pass, and Mooy smashes clear of his penalty box once again. Still goalless.
It would be some achievement from Huddersfield if they managed to enter the break at 0-0. A lot of people were predicting the home side to put a 4-0/5-0 on the board this afternoon, and while that could still happen, the visitors have been excellent in the first 42 minutes here.
The Huddersfield fans behind the goal let out a loud cheer as the ball drops behind for a goal kick. The away side are almost there in terms of the first 45 minutes of this game.
Wagner continues to prowl the touchline as we approach the half-time break here.
HALF-TIME: Man City 0-0 Huddersfield
So there we have it. The referee brings the first period to a close with the two teams level at 0-0. Man City were expected to blow Huddersfield away in the opening 45 minutes of this match, but that has just not been the case. The visitors have been excellent at the Etihad Stadium.
STATISTICS! Man City dominated the first-half possession with 77%, while they had six attempts - two of which were on target. Huddersfield had five attempts, and two of those were on target. No yellow cards to report in the first 45 minutes - it has not been that type of game.
BENCH WATCH! Huddersfield have a lot of attacking options on their bench this afternoon, with Billing, Depoitre, Malone, Quaner all available. Man City, meanwhile, have the likes of Foden, Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and Toure in reserve. A lot of talented players in that list!
RESTART! Huddersfield resume the action here...
... no changes from either side at the break, which is not too much of a surprise. However, I suspect that both managers will have alterations in mind as the second half develops here.
You do get the feeling that Huddersfield will need to score in order to get something from this match. It is hard to believe that City will not register at some point in the second period.
Huddersfield are being forced to defend their own box at the moment as City force the issue. The visitors need to be careful that they do not sink deeper and deeper as time develops.
Not an awful lot to report in terms of chances in the early stages of the second period, and Huddersfield have just been able to ease some of the pressure with a period of possession. Maybe this is the blueprint to play City after what Liverpool did to them? Time will tell!
OFF-THE-LINE! Nervy moment inside the Huddersfield box as Lossl fails to collect a corner, but the away side manage to scramble it clear! Lossl was very lucky there.
It was actually Schindler, who has been excellent for Huddersfield this season, that managed to clear down the field. Man City are preparing to make their first change of the match.
MAN CITY SUB! Mendy returns from a long-term knee problem in place of Delph. That is a huge boost for the Premier League champions ahead of next season.
Little over 30 minutes of normal time remaining, and Huddersfield are still hanging in there. Well, that is a bit unfair on the Terriers, who have been excellent for long spells. There is still a lot of football to be played, however, and there will surely be a goal before the match is out.
HUDDERSFIELD SUB! Depoitre replaces Mounie for the away side.
Mendy flashes a dangerous cross into the Huddersfield box, and Mooy does really well to make the clearance. All one-way traffic at the moment as the home side force the issue.
Mendy has been very bright for the home side since entering the field, and the Frenchman will be a huge player for the Citizens next season. Still goalless with 64 minutes on the clock here.
Huddersfield centre-back Zanka has just thrown himself at a deep free kick, and Otamendi caught him in the face. It is a nasty one, but the number 25 does continue here.
BOOKING! Smith (Huddersfield) is booked for time-wasting.
MAN CITY SUB! Gundogan replaces De Bruyne for the home side.
Smith needs to be careful here as he brings Sane to the ground on a booking. We are heading into the final 20 minutes of football, and still we stand at 0-0 in Manchester.
Huddersfield's back five has been excellent this afternoon, but they still have the best part of 20 minutes to get through this afternoon. Mendy has been a menace since entering the field as the Frenchman continues to deliver low into the Huddersfield penalty box.
MAN CITY SUB! Bernardo Silva replaces Stones for the home side.
There will be no Yaya Toure and no Phil Foden for the home side this afternoon. Guardiola has introduced Bernardo Silva as his final substitute, and we are into the final 15 minutes here.
It is very much attack versus defence at the moment as City continue to press Huddersfield. The away side are very, very deep as they look to claim what would be a huge point.
BOOKING! Lowe (Huddersfield) is booked for a foul on Sterling.
HUDDERSFIELD SUB! Lowe is replaced by Malone for Huddersfield.
Little under 10 minutes of the second period remaining, and City are still forcing the issue, as expected. There is no question that Guardiola will want to win this match despite it meaning relatively little in terms of the season. Huddersfield are very, very deep at the moment.
Jesus heads over the Huddersfield crossbar from close range.
HUDDERSFIELD SUB! Van La Parra replaces Pritchard for the away side.
Half-chance for the home side as Bernardo Silva finds space outside the Huddersfield box, and his effort is just wide of the post. Little over five minutes of football remaining here.
Mendy strikes over the Huddersfield crossbar from distance.
Huddersfield are almost there, and this would be a huge point. Southampton conceded late at Everton on Saturday, however, and Wagner's side are still far from safe in this match.
BOOKING! Van la Parra (Huddersfield) is booked for dissent.
We are into the first of four additional minutes at the end of the 90 minutes.
SAVE! Malone brings a save from Ederson on the counter!
Huddersfield clear their lines once again after coming close to scoring on a couple of occasions. The visitors are almost there, and this would be such a huge point.
CLOSE! Otamendi strikes wide of the Huddersfield post!
FULL-TIME: Man City 0-0 Huddersfield
So there we have it. The referee brings the second period to a close with Huddersfield picking up a huge point at the home of the champions - what a result! Thanks for joining Sports Mole for our live Premier League coverage once again. See you soon!
