Manchester City played host to Watford in the Premier League this afternoon, looking to maintain their 100% start to the season.
The Sky Blues struggled to break down a stubborn Hornets defence in the first period, but Raheem Sterling's first goal in City colours opened the scoring.
Fernandinho added a second less than ten minutes later as the hosts saw out the match to secure a record-breaking tenth win in a row.
Find out how all the action unfolded with our minute-by-minute text commentary below.
Good afternoon and welcome to our live text coverage of the Premier League showdown between Manchester City and Watford, two of the division's unbeaten sides. Both managers have submitted their teamsheets, so we'll have the starting XIs for you in just a moment.
CITY: Hart, Sagna, Mangala, Kompany, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, Navas; Sterling, Silva, Aguero
WATFORD: Gomes; Nyom, Prodl, Cathcart, Holebas; Behrami, Capoue; Jurado, Ighalo, Abdi; Deeney
Manchester City are unchanged for the third game in succession, and with the Sky Blues boasting a 100% record this season, we can hardly blame Manuel Pellegrini for keeping the faith in this lineup. Watford will have their hands full keeping Aguero, Silva and Sterling quiet this afternoon.
There are a few surprises on the City bench as youngsters Pablo Maffeo and Patrick Roberts make the squad, but there's no room for new signing Nicolas Otamendi, who was expected to make his City debut in some capacity today.
Over to the Hornets, and they have made just one change from the side that drew 0-0 with Southampton in their last league match. Almen Abdi replaces Ikechi Anya in the centre of the park, where he will feature as one of three advanced midfielders alongside Jurado and Ighalo.
City have been unstoppable so far this season, comfortably winning all three of their opening matches to start the day clear at the top of the table. Watford are also unbeaten, but the newly-promoted Hornets haven't won either. They have proven no pushovers in their opening three matches, claiming an impressive point against Everton on the opening day and holding Southampton last time out.
City have the edge when it comes to this fixture, winning eight of the 19 encounters, while Watford have triumphed six times and five games have ended in draws. One stat that might trouble Quique Flores is that his side have not won away to City for 28 years.
PREDICTION: We aren't expecting the Hornets to make things easy for City today, but it's difficult to see anything beyond a fourth league win of the season for Pellegrini's men, who have quality and firepower in abundance in their squad. Our money is on a 3-0 victory for the hosts.
You can see the Sports Mole sofa panel discussing the potential outcome of the game in more detail in the video below:
Some pre-match quotes from both camps coming up...
FLORES: "We are playing against a very difficult and tough team, so we must play with high personality and confidence to put in a good performance. My message to the players? Confidence, personality, power and hope."
PELLEGRINI: "It is a difficult game because they have played three games in the Premier League and have drawn them all. They have a good manager and good players and the greatest mistake we can make in this moment is to think because we have won the last three games we will win the next one."
Watford were last in action only four days ago when they crashed out of the League Cup to Preston North End, but Flores used that match as an opportunity to assess his fringe players, so fatigue will not be an issue.
The Hornets have been sturdy at the back this season, with the two they conceded on the opening day at Everton being the only goals they have shipped so far. More of the same same solid defending will be required to keep City at bay, while Flores will no doubt be hoping his side can avoid going a third match on the trot without scoring, fourth if you include their League Cup reverse.
Sergio Aguero is the man to watch for City this afternoon. He heads into the match having scored 79 goals since joining the Sky Blues from Atletico Madrid and we're sure he'd love to pass the 80 milestone this afternoon. The Argentina international netted a hat-trick the last time these sides met, a 4-2 win for City in the FA Cup two seasons ago.
City are the league's top scorers with eight goals in three games so far and can pass a milestone of their own if they win today. Pellegrini's side registered a record-equalling ninth league victory on the spin last weekend when they saw off Everton. They will make history if they overcome Watford here.
Just over five minutes to go before kickoff now and the Etihad Stadium is filling up nicely. There's plenty of noise coming from the newly-expanded South Stand.
The two teams are heading out onto the pitch now. Can City maintain their 100% start to the season, or will there be a shock in store? Stay tuned to find out!
KICKOFF: We are under way at the Etihad Stadium. Watford start the match, kicking from right to left in the first half.
It's been a nervy start by Watford who survived some early pressure as Troy Deeney put the ball behind for a corner with just two minutes played. City throw plenty of bodies in the box but their attack is halted when Yaya Toure commits a foul as the cross sails in.
Sterling and Toure combine well to find Aguero just outside the penalty area. He beats two Watford defenders before finding himself lost in a sea of black shirts. The Hornets back line did well to close him down there, but you get the feeling they will be in for a busy afternoon.
Aguero goes on a mazy run into the Watford area. Silva is available to his left, but the Argentine chooses to go it alone and lets fly, Allan Nyom doing well to get his body in the way of the shot.
After a dithering start, Watford have grown into the match somewhat and started stringing passes together. However, their best move of the game collapses as a poor first touch from Jose Holebas gifts a throw-in to City near the halfway line.
Watford venture into the final third for the first time as Holebas plays a searching ball into the area, which is put behind by a diving header from Kompany. There's a goalmouth scramble when the cross comes in and the Hornets win another corner. City clear their lines at the second time of asking.
More than 15 minutes on the clock and neither side have managed to register a shot on target. Watford are coming out of their shell after a nervy start with Etienne Capoue and Troy Deeney linking up well up front, but they look content to park the bus and try and hit City on the break.
Great vision from Silva sets Jesus Navas free along the left flank. He sails a dangerous cross straight across the face of the Watford goal, but there are no takers to capitalise. Still goalless at the Etihad and we're yet to see a shot on target.
SHOT! Navas wins a free kick 30 yards from goal and Aleksandar Kolarov tries his luck from the set piece. He's one of the deadliest free kick takers in the English game, but you wouldn't know it from that effort, which flew miles over.
Silva and Sterling play a deft one-two and the former Liverpool man races into the Watford area, only to be dispossessed by Sebastian Prodl, who scrambles the ball clear following a well-timed tackle.
CHANCE! Great awareness from Toure releases Sterling again and Watford are hopelessly outnumbered in the final third. Sterling goes for goal, but Craig Cathcart backtracks and makes an important interception, putting the ball behind for another City corner.
SHOT! We have a rare shot on target as Kompany uses his strength to maintain possession in the box following a City corner. He lines up Bacary Sagna from an acute angle, but Heurelho Gomes goes to ground quickly to save at his near post.
SAVE! City are getting closer and its Sterling providing the threat along that left flank once again. He shrugs off his marker and gets his shot away, forcing Gomes into another reflex save. A good spell of pressure from the hosts.
Half an hour gone and we're still goalless at the Etihad Stadium but City have upped the tempo these last ten minutes or so. Watford are throwing a sheer number of bodies back to snuff out the threat posed by Aguero, Sterling and Silva.
Here's an action shot of Sterling, who's been one of City's liveliest players so far:
It's been a frustrating first period for City, who keep banging on the door, but Watford have spent the latter stages of the half with all 11 men in and around their penalty area. Pellegrini's men have faced this tactic countless times before when playing at home, and they nearly always find a way through.
CLOSE! City almost break the deadlock as neat footwork from Fernandinho allows him to pick out Aguero in the danger zone. The Argentine skilfully turns to shake off his marker and goes for goal, his shot skimming Gomes's right post on its way behind.
Here's Toure going to ground under a heavy challenge from Almen Abdi. There's a lot of those flying in at the moment:
BOOKING! Allan Nyom becomes the first Watford player to go into the book for a mistimed tackle on Sterling. City skipper Kompany saw yellow for a similar offence moments earlier.
There will be one minute of stoppage time to play.
HALF TIME: Manchester City 0-0 Watford
There you have it - no goals at the Etihad Stadium but plenty of pressure from Manchester City and some tight defending from Watford.
City claimed 65% of the possession during the first half and managed seven attempts at goal versus Watford's two. Two of City's efforts were on target and none of the visitors' shots have hit the mark, which pretty much sums up the first half.
There are plenty of other matches going on in the Premier League right now. Here's how they stand at half time:
Aston Villa 2-1 Sunderland
Bournemouth 1-0 Leicester
Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace
Liverpool 0-2 West Ham
Stoke 1-0 West Brom
In today's earlier kickoff, Arsenal narrowly defeated Newcastle United at St James' Park, coming away with a 1-0 win thanks to Fabricio Coloccini's own goal. You can read our report on that one here.
If you've just joined us for City vs Watford, you can get yourself up to speed on all the action from the goalless first half here.
KICKOFF: We're back under way at City and the hosts have just 45 minutes to break down this stubborn Watford team and secure a record-breaking tenth league win on the spin.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Watford (Raheem Sterling)
Sterling scores his first goal in City colours as Pellegrini's side get the breakthrough they deserve. It's a close-range tap-in for the England international, who didn't have much to do after a wonderful cross from Bacary Sagna on the right. Sterling needed to apply only a toe-poke to guide the ball beyond the helpless Gomes.
City's patience has finally paid off, and the pressure is now on Watford to adjust their shape and start staging some attacks of their own. That's a big ask when you are playing without an out-and-out striker.
City have a great chance to double their lead as Almen Abdi commits a foul deep in Yaya Toure territory...
GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Watford (Fernandinho)
City's second is a combination of good luck and sheer brilliance. Toure's free kick cannons back off the wall and falls very kindly for Fernandinho, who plays a quick one-two with Silva and powers an effort straight across goal into the bottom corner. That was an unstoppable strike!
CHANCE! Great awareness and passing from Sterling carves out a chance for Aguero to make it three, but the Argentine uncharacteristically mis-kicks in front of goal. That was a rare gaffe from the prolific hitman.
The hosts have been blistering on the counter-attack in this second half, attacking with pace and vision. Watford simply have no response to this and remain on the back foot after holding firm throughout the first period.
Here are the scenes as Sterling opened the scoring. You can see how much that meant to the former Liverpool man:
SHOT! City go for goal from another free kick, but Silva cannot muster the same level of power of accuracy as Toure's, which led to City's second goal. The Spaniard's effort floats harmlessly over for a Watford goalkick.
CHANCE! A rare chance for Watford following good work in the box by Deeney. He tees up the onrushing Ikechi Anya, allowing the forward to get a shot away. Bacary Sagna produces a vital block and diverts the ball behind for a corner.
The hosts attempt to power forward again as Sterling plays a through-ball to substitute Samir Nasri. The Frenchman timed his run well, but Sterling put too much on the pass, allowing Gomes to race off his line and collect without too much trouble.
More action shots from the second period courtesy of the Watford Twitter account:
Nasri goes on a mazy run on the left and plays a low cross towards the centre of the penalty area, but Prodl races back and gets there first. However, his interception ends up behind for yet another City corner.
CLOSE! Almost an early contender for goal of the season as an intricate City team move ends up with Aleksandar Kolarov picking out Toure with a long ball. The Ivorian shoots from 25 yards out, but his effort flies narrowly wide with Gomes rooted to the spot.
Here's Fernandinho's net buster from earlier. Pick that one out!
The pace has dropped off now as we head into the final ten minutes of the match. Joe Hart in the City goal has barely touched the ball and Watford are looking like a team who have admitted defeat.
It's still early days but City are looking like the team to beat in the Premier League. They are yet to concede a goal and are absolutely devastating going forward. It's frightening to think what they will be like once they have completed the signing of Wolfsburg's Kevin de Bruyne, as expected.
SHOT! City apply further pressure as Sterling swings in a late corner. It eventually finds its way to Nasri, who lets fly from range, stinging the palms of Gomes, who beats the strike clear convincingly.
SUBSTITUTION: City make their final change and it's a senior debut for young Nigerian forward Kelechi Iheanacho. He replaces goalscorer Raheem Sterling, who goes off to a standing ovation.
There will be two minutes of stoppage time to play.
Watford have a rare chance to test Joe Hart from a stoppage-time free kick, but Deeney steers his strike into the wall.
FULL TIME: Manchester City 2-0 Watford
City claim a club-record tenth league win in a row and maintain their 100% start to the new season thanks to a 2-0 victory over Watford. Raheem Sterling scored his first goal for the club and Fernandinho added a second to add some gloss to the result.
Watford made City work in the first half, but it was never it doubt after the first goal went in. You can find a summary of the 90 minutes in our match report here.
And that's all we have time for at the Etihad Stadium, but stick with Sports Mole for analysis, player ratings and reaction from today's game. Many thanks for joining us.
