Manchester City kept their Premier League title hopes alive on New Year's Day thanks to a 3-2 win over Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.
Fernandinho put the visitors ahead when he opened the scoring in the 14th minute, but Wilfried Bony got Swansea level on the stroke of half time.
Goals from Yaya Toure and Aleksandar Kolarov then gave the Blues a comfortable two-goal cushion before Bony pulled one back for the hosts deep in added time.
Read Sports Mole's minute-by-minute report below to find out how the action unfolded in South Wales.
Hello there and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the first Premier League fixture of 2014 as Swansea City play host to Manchester City. We should have some team news through for you shortly...
SWANSEA: Tremmel; Rangel, Chico, Williams, Davies; Canas, de Guzman, Shelvey, Hernandez, Routledge; Bony
SWANSEA SUBS: Zabret, Tiendalli, Amat, Taylor, Pozuelo, Lamah, Vazquez
Swansea have made two changes to their starting lineup following Saturday's 1-1 draw at Aston Villa as Angel Rangel and Wayne Routledge are both given the nod by manager Michael Laudrup. Dwight Tiendalli and Roland Lamah both drop to the bench.
MAN CITY: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Kolarov; Navas, Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, Nasri; Negredo, Dzeko
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has made five changes to his starting XI, with Pablo Zabaleta, Aleksandar Kolarov, Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri and Alvaro Negredo all returning for the Blues.
MAN CITY SUBS: Pantilimon, Lescott, Clichy, Boyata, Garcia, Rodwell, Milner
Man City could get their 2014 off to a great start if they avoid defeat today. The visitors are currently one point behind leaders Arsenal in the table but would overtake the Gunners by virtue of their superior goal difference with a draw. A win would see them go two points clear ahead of this afternoon's other matches.
While Man City are aiming to go to the top of the table, Swansea can climb into the top half of the standings with a victory this afternoon. However, the Welsh side haven't been in the best of form recently. They're currently on winless run of five matches that includes three draws and two defeats.
RECENT FORM:
SWANSEA: WDDLLD
MAN CITY: WDWWWW
The form book would suggest that Man City will come away with the three points today, but the Blues' will not be taking anything for granted due to their inconsistent performances on the road this season. Despite winning all 10 of their home games since the start of the campaign, the Blues have been beaten four times in nine fixtures away from the Etihad Stadium.
Swansea come into this match on the back of Saturday's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa Park, while Man City earned a narrow 1-0 win at home to Crystal Palace to keep their title charge on track.
For those of you who are wondering why David Silva isn't in the Man City starting XI, it's because he's suspended after picking up a fifth yellow card of the season against Crystal Palace. The Spaniard has been in devastating form over the past few months, but the Blues have such strength in depth that such absences barely matter.
HEAD TO HEAD: Man City have the superior record when it comes to past meetings between the teams with 15 wins to Swansea's seven. Meanwhile, there have been three draws.
The last meeting was a matter of weeks ago as Man City comfortably beat the Swans 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium thanks to a Samir Nasri brace and Alvaro Negredo's early strike. The Welsh side will be hoping to show a bit more resilience this afternoon. If they lose and other results go against them this afternoon they could well be staring over their shoulders at the drop zone. As it stands, they're only five points above 18th-placed Fulham.
UPDATE: While there's plenty going on for Swansea today, their Welsh rivals Cardiff City are also causing a bit of a stir with regards to their search for a new manager. It's understood that former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is to hold talks with owner Vincent Tan sometime over the next couple of days.
As with pretty much the whole country, the rain continues to pour down in South Wales and it doesn't look like it's going to stop anytime soon. Could that benefit the hosts with their slick passing style, or are we likely to see a number of errors this afternoon?
REFEREE WATCH: The official for today's match at the Liberty Stadium is Phil Dowd.
The players are starting to emerge in the tunnel, ready to step out into the wet and cold of the Liberty Stadium. Not long to go now until the first Premier League fixture of 2014 gets underway.
KICKOFF: The pre-match handshakes have been completed and it will be Swansea to kick us off at the Liberty Stadium. Here we go!
It's been a nice, bright start from the home side as they try to pass the ball around with some zip while going forward. Shelvey has been heavily involved so far, and you get the feeling that he will need a good game if the hosts are to get anything out of this game. Meanwhile, Dzeko drags an effort wide of the goal at the other end.
CHANCE! Close to an opening goal for Swansea! Bony received the ball around 25 yards from goal before unleashing a powerful effort off his right foot, but he can only put it inches wide of the post.
SUBSTITUTION: Bad news early on for Swansea as Pablo Hernandez is forced off after tweaking his hamstring. The Spaniard knew straight away that he couldn't continue. Roland Lamah enters the action as his replacement.
Man City have struggled to find their rhythm so far as Swansea continue to dictate the pace during the opening few minutes. There's been little in the way of attacking spark for the visitors.
GOAL! SWANSEA 0-1 MAN CITY (FERNANDINHO)
We have the first Premier League goal of 2014 and it's Fernandinho who gets it to give Man City the lead! Swansea failed to clear Nasri's corner, and there was the Brazilian on the edge of the box to hammer the ball past a host of bodies and into the net.
Man City were just about getting themselves into the match before Fernandinho's goal, but Swansea have responded well to going behind. It's all very evenly matched at the moment.
One area that will be frustrating Michael Laudrup is his team's lack of composure in the final third. Swansea have got themselves into some decent positions so far, but that final ball keep eluding them. Still, the signs are positive for the home side as the battle toe to toe with the visitors.
CHANCE! Swansea have a crack at goal following a period of heavy Man City pressure as Shelvey belts the ball over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area. Not the cleanest strike he's ever hit, but the hosts need to stay in touch or Man City will punish them.
CHANCE! Close for Swansea! A slick counter-attack ended with De Guzman being put through on goal, but he could only hit a tame shot at Hart with Kompany breathing down his neck. Again, it was a lack of composure that let the home side down there.
YELLOW CARD: Samir Nasri goes into the book for Man City after chopping down Angel Rangel when the defender was running at goal. De Guzman takes the resulting free kick, but he slams his effort straight into the wall before Canas fires wide.
CHANCE! Great work from Navas down the right sees the Spaniard eventually find Dzeko on the edge of the box. However, has his shot deflected wide of the goal. The resulting corner causes one or two problems in the Swansea area, but the hosts just about do enough to clear the danger.
Decent play from Routledge on the right wing as he puts in a teasing cross, but Nastasic is there to head the ball out for a corner. Unfortunately, it comes to nothing for the home side.
PENALTY SHOUT! Another Swansea corner ends with Williams having a crack at goal, but Swansea fans and players alike want a penalty after Kompany blocks it with the top half of his body. However, that would have been harsh had it been given by Phil Dowd. Meanwhile, Aleksandar Kolarov goes into the book for complaining to Dowd over another incident.
Something of a half-chance for Man City as Zabaleta fires wide following some patient build-up play from the visitors. Jose Canas has also gone into the book for Swansea, but it's unclear what for. Possibly dissent.
That's poor from Dzeko. The Bosnian striker received the ball inside the penalty area with no Swansea defenders around him, but a disappointing first touch allowed Tremmel to gather. Man City have certainly shown signs of wastefulness in this half as we head towards the break.
CHANCE! Bony comes close again with an opportunity similar to the one that he head earlier. The striker hit a ferocious shot from about 20 yards that flew narrowly wide of Hart's post. The goalkeeper looked beaten there.
Three minutes of added time at the end of this first half...
GOAL! SWANSEA 1-1 MAN CITY (BONY)
Swansea have ended the half well and they have their reward thanks to Wilfried Bony! The striker, who maybe looked half a yard offside, got in behind Kompany to head De Guzman's cross from the right past Hart and into the net. What a time to score for the hosts!
HALF TIME: SWANSEA 1-1 MAN CITY
Phil Dowd blows the half-time whistle and Swansea go in at the break level with Man City after Wilfried Bony cancelled out Edin Dzeko's opening goal at the Liberty Stadium.
There was certainly plenty of action during that opening 45 minutes, but Man City will feel aggrieved with the nature of Swansea's equaliser as Bony looked a touch offside when he headed past Joe Hart. That said, the visitors have had numerous chances so far and should be further ahead. However, some poor finishing has cost them.
As it stands, Man City will still be going to the top of the table if things stay the same at the Liberty Stadium. You can take a look at the projected standings right here.
Of course, Man City boss Manuel Pellegrini will be telling his players not to settle for a draw and to go out and win this match as we near the start of the second half. Interestingly enough, the Chilean doesn't have a great deal of attacking options on the bench. In fact, he doesn't really have any.
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY! The players are back out and it will be Man City to kick us off. No changes for either side at the break. And it's still raining heavily at the Liberty Stadium.
It's been mostly Man City at the start of this second half as Swansea struggle to get on the ball. The visitors have an attempt on goal through Kolarov, but his speculative long-range drive goes high into the stand.
CHANCE! Some indecision in the Swansea defence allows Negredo to get a shot away from inside the box, though the Spaniard can only hook a tame effort into the grateful hands of Tremmel. A cleaner connection there and Man City could well have been back in the lead.
YELLOW CARD: Man City captain Vincent Kompany is cautioned by Phil Dowd after tugging at the shirt of Roland Lamah. The Belgian defender wasn't too happy about that decision.
Swansea win a free kick on the edge of the penalty area, but De Guzman smashes his shot well over the Man City goal. Still, this is a good spell for the hosts as they look to get their noses in front.
GOAL! SWANSEA 1-2 MAN CITY (TOURE)
Man City get themselves in front once again thanks to a great strike from Yaya Toure! Swansea failed to clear their lines from a corner before the midfielder hit a powerful low effort across Gerhard Tremmel and into the far corner. It's superb from a Man City point of view, but Swansea should have done better defensively there.
SUBSTITUTION: Man City make their first change of the match now as Javi Garcia replaces Alvaro Negredo. Manuel Pellegrini clearly wants to beef his side up in midfield for the final 30 minutes.
Action at both ends as the ball bounces around dangerously inside the Man City box before the visitors launch a quick counter-attack through Toure. However, the goalscorer's pass to Navas has too much on it and goes out for a throw. You get the feeling that this match could get quite open now as Swansea push for an equaliser.
Swansea have by no means let their heads drop after going behind for a second time in this match. The home side are still showing plenty of fight across all areas of the pitch. Man City know that they will have to stay focused if they are to come away from South Wales with the three points.
GOAL! SWANSEA 1-3 MAN CITY (KOLAROV)
That could well be game over now as Aleksandar Kolarov makes it 3-1 to Man City! The Serbian was allowed to run at the Swansea defence before hitting a right-footed shot towards goal that goes through the grasp of Tremmel. It wasn't a bad effort from the full-back, but the goalkeeper really should have done better there.
SUBSTITUTION: Man City make a second change of the afternoon as James Milner is introduced in place of Samir Nasri.
SAVE! Swansea continue to show signs of life as Bony twists and turns on the edge of the box before seeing his shot saved by Hart. The goalkeeper then makes a right hash of the resulting corner, but Williams can only prod the ball wide. That was the good and the bad of Hart right there.
Man City are looking very comfortable now as they edge towards only their fourth away win of the season. Swansea are still hustling for possession, though it looks like it will be all in vain. If anything, you can imagine the away side getting a fourth goal before the final whistle.
The visitors are stretching Swansea at every available opportunity at the moment. The hosts haven't totally given up, but they're playing for pride more than anything.
SUBSTITUTION: Another swap for Swansea as Jonjo Shelvey makes way for Alejandro Pozuelo. Just under 10 minutes of normal time remaining at the Liberty Stadium.
It's hard to tell which manager is losing at the moment as both Michael Laudrup and Manuel Pellegrini have rather bland looks on their respective faces. Pellegrini is sure to see plenty of room for improvement following this performance, but his players have done enough to secure the victory with the full-time whistle approaching.
YELLOW CARD: Pablo Zabaleta is the latest player to go into the book after the Man City defender chops down Lamah out on the touchline.
SUBSTITUTION: Man City's final change of the match sees Jack Rodwell come on in place of Jesus Navas. The Spaniard has been very impressive for the visitors this afternoon.
GOAL! SWANSEA 2-3 MAN CITY (BONY)
Swansea have a lifeline as Wilfried Bony pulls a goal back with a fierce drive from long range that finds the bottom corner. Can the hosts find an equaliser? They have three minutes of added time to do so.
YELLOW CARD: James Milner goes into the book for Man City after kicking the ball away.
FULL TIME: SWANSEA 2-3 MAN CITY
Phil Dowd blows the full-time whistle and Manchester City have gone temporarily to the top of the Premier League table thanks to a 3-2 win over Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium.
Anyway, that's all from me for now but don't forget that you can follow live text coverage of all today's other matches in the Premier League right here on Sports Mole. So, take a look around the site and get involved. Thanks for you company and enjoy the rest of your day. Goodbye!
