Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the EFL Cup semi-final first leg between Manchester City and Bristol City at the Etihad Stadium.
Man City come into this match looking to continue their march towards the quadruple, and they are unbeaten in their last 35 matches on English soil stretching back to April.
However, Bristol City have already eliminated four Premier League teams on their way to the last four, including a memorable late victory over Manchester United in the quarter-finals.
Make sure you don't miss a moment of the action courtesy of our minute-by-minute updates below.
Man City clearly come into this match as the overwhelming favourites and will be looking to get the job all but done this evening, but they have been nowhere near as dominant in this competition while Bristol City have been no stranger to a giant killing so far this season, so it promises to be a fascinating encounter.
We will have a close look at both teams in a short while, but let's start with some team news...
Well, the headline news from the Manchester City camp is that Sergio Aguero is left out of the starting lineup, and the team sheet released by City appears to suggest that either Sane or Sterling will feature as the main striker in his stead this evening.
Gabriel Jesus is still injured of course, leaving City without a recognised striker in their XI tonight, although Aguero does still make the bench. There should still be no shortage of goals in that Man City lineup, though.
Sane has been no stranger to goals and assists himself either, and he was on the scoresheet just a few days ago in the FA Cup win over Burnley. Interesting, Sterling and Sane have both started those two cup games having also featured in the preceding Premier League game, so there isn't much rest for them during this busy period.
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Kevin De Bruyne is the most notable player to come back into the side has he replaces David Silva, who has returned to Spain to be with his premature son after starting the last two games. Mangala and Yaya Toure make up the four changes as Guardiola tries to keep things fresh.
It is a still a strong starting XI from the home side despite only perhaps four players from it making it into a full-strength lineup, which goes to show the depth at Guardiola's disposal.
Smith was forced off at half time at Vicarage Road after picking up a knock, but he has recovered in time to start this match and will be hoping to down another Manchester club after scoring the late winner to knock United out in the last round.
Walsh is on the bench alongside Matt Taylor, who has been involved in more EFL Cup goals than any other player this season (two goals, two assists), but still doesn't make the starting lineup tonight.
Captain Bailey Wright is amongst those to return alongside the likes of Nathan Baker, Joe Bryan and Bobby Reid, leaving Bristol City more or less at full strength for this daunting trip.
Aside from that change between the sticks, though, this is exactly the same starting XI which recorded that famous victory at Ashton Gate, so they will be full of belief that they can do something similar tonight.
Man City have been by far and away the dominant force in English football this season and the dream of a quadruple is still very much alive. There is still a long way to go, of course, but the Premier League title looks all but sewn up, the draw has favoured them in this competition, they have cruised through to the fourth round of the FA Cup and they are among the favourites for the Champions League too.
It is shaping up to be a truly incredible campaign which will be remembered for decades to come.
It only takes one off day to end City's quadruple hopes, and the closest that has come to happening has been in this competition. Indeed, Guardiola's side have needed penalties to get through the last two rounds, drawing 0-0 with Wolves and then 1-1 against Leicester.
They also only scraped past West Brom 2-1 in the third round too, so they haven't been the unstoppable force we are used to seeing in the EFL Cup.
City are, after all, unbeaten in their last 35 matches on English soil, a run which stretches back to April and includes 29 games unbeaten this season.
It is even a surprise when City draw a game now such has been their dominance, so anything other than a heavy defeat would be an acceptable result for Bristol City tonight - so long as they are not out of the tie entirely.
You have to go back to December 2016 for the last time Man City lost a game here, with Chelsea running out 3-1 winners then. Since that defeat, Man City have won 25 and drawn seven of their 32 home games.
City have scored 33 goals across that period too, although they have only had one EFL Cup game here so far this season and they drew a blank in that one, requiring penalties to edge past Championship leaders Wolves.
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City's run last season was ended by local rivals and eventual winners Manchester United in the fourth round, meaning that this could still be Pep Guardiola's first trophy in England if he lifts it this season. City have won the League Cup four times in the past - including twice in the last four seasons - so they have decent pedigree in the competition.
In fact, this is the joint-closest Bristol City have ever come to getting their hands on this trophy, having also previously reached the last four in 1970-71 and 1988-89. You have to go all the way back to 1909 for their only ever appearance in the major cup final, when they were beaten in the FA Cup showpiece.
Lee Johnson's side have emerged as unlikely candidates for not only the playoffs, but also one of the automatic promotion spots with only two points separating them from second-placed Derby County. Bristol City are currently five points clear of fifth too, so their main focus can be on those automatic promotion spots.
Lee Johnson's side have lost their last two Championship outings - the first time they have been beaten back-to-back all season - and including the FA Cup defeat to Watford as well they come into this game off the back to three successive losses.
It may well be that the players began to have one eye on this match, but they have now lost as many games in their last three outings as they had in their previous 29 across all competitions this season.
Even so, their away form this season has been a massive improvement on last term. City had been unbeaten in 12 outings on the road before those two defeats and have only lost three away games all season, whereas at this stage last term they had already been beaten nine times on their travels.
Bristol City have certainly impressed on the road in this competition too, winning their last four such games stretching back to August 2015, although their only away game of this season's run was a 3-2 triumph over Watford.
Bristol City are also the top scorers in this season's competition with 16 goals from just 32 shots on target, whereas Man City are surprisingly the lowest scorers remaining having found the back of the net only three times from 20 shots on target.
The fact that this is in the EFL Cup makes this more difficult as Man City have generally underperformed in the competition this season, whereas Bristol City have punched above their weight. However, now that they are only a few wins away from the trophy I expect Man City to take this one very seriously now, and if they do it is hard to see Bristol City being able to stop them.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Man City 4-0 Bristol City
Even so, Man City still ran out 2-1 winners in their League Cup second round tie in August, with Emile Mpenza and Rolando Bianchi on the scoresheet.
Tonight's hosts have only lost one of their last seven editions of this fixture, winning four and drawing two in that time, including a 3-1 win on Bristol City's most recent away game against Man City.
You have to go back 107 years to 1911 for their last away triumph in this fixture, drawing one and losing five of their visits since then - including four defeats in a row heading into tonight's game.
MAN CITY STARTING XI: Bravo; Danilo, Stones, Mangala, Zinchenko; Gundogan, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Yaya Toure, Sterling; Sane
BRISTOL CITY STARTING XI: Fielding; Wright, Flint, Baker, Magnusson; Brownhill, Pack, Smith, Bryan; Paterson; Reid
Mangala is initially at fault for giving the ball away, which allows Brownhill to race down the right. He cuts inside before feeding the ball into Reid, who gets there before Stones's rash challenge and then goes tumbling to the ground. Anthony Taylor has no choice but to point to the spot, and Reid dusts himself off to tuck the penalty right into the bottom corner.
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— Bristol City FC (@bcfctweets) January 9, 2018
Man City have seen the lion's share of possession as expected, but they haven't had things all their own way and are yet to really trouble Frank Fielding too much. The visitors will be delighted.
Referee Anthony Taylor had no doubt when pointing to the spot, and Reid stepped up to tuck it away himself despite Bravo guessing the right way.
However, Aden Flint used every inch of his giant frame to flick the ball over the crossbar and deny a certain goal on the line.
Bravo beats the Bristol City press with a pass into midfield for De Bruyne, who carries it a long way forward. He then gives it out to Sterling before receiving the return ball back and sweeping a vicious finish past a helpless Fielding.
9 - Kevin De Bruyne has been directly involved in nine goals in eight appearances for Manchester City in the League Cup (six goals, three assists). Catalyst. pic.twitter.com/9mqNMUM1Vp
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 9, 2018
Bernardo clips a cross into the box and Aguero darts in front of his man, beating the keeper to the ball as well to flick his header home.
In truth, many Bristol City fans may have taken a 2-1 defeat tonight before kickoff, but having taken the lead through Bobby Reid and then been level going into injury time, that defeat will feel like a hammer blow for the Championship outfit.
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match as Man City leave it late to build a 2-1 first-leg lead in their EFL Cup semi-final with Bristol City. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from the Etihad too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
