Wigan Athletic against Manchester City

The game is getting increasingly frantic now with challenges flying in everywhere. Its excellent to watch.

A hilarious passage of play where about four players slip just after they'd won the ball. Playing on ice are we?

Elano is coming off and Danny Sturridge is coming on.

Now Melchiot is bundled over by Zabaleta but doesn't win a free-kick. What is Bennett playing at?

Bramble clatters into Richards as he went into the penalty area but amazingly Wigan win the free kick. Bennett's mare continues.

Garrido dives convincingly after Zaki flicked a foot at him. Free-kick for City. Elano's delivery is poor and Melchiot clears.

Excellent work from Zaki, who holds off Dunne. Earlier Palacios did well to recover after giving the ball straight to Robinho. Its end to end stuff now, and a very good game.

Bramble clears off the line after Evans pokes the ball bast Kirkland. He didn't get enough on it though and Titus whacks it clear.

Time running out for City, who have been dominant in this second half. Can they find an equaliser in the last 15 minutes?

Robinho goes down theatrically after Melchiot hooks his foot round to get to the ball.

Dunne wins the knock down but neither Robinho, nor Jo can profit, then SWP's ball back in goes behind. Jo is off, and Ched Evans is on.

At the other end, SWP manages to get a shot off amid congestion in the box, and Kirkland makes a great stop. Corner.

Zaki's cross is poor because Heskey was in acres of space at the back post.

Kapo's free-kick is right at Ireland then SWP nicks the ball away from Melchiot, who gets booked. Another Bennett decision I disagree with.

A great run from Valencia, a lovely ball for Zaki and Richards will get a booking for barging the Egyptian over before the ball even got to him.

Heskey slides in and robs Elano, then Bennett gives Wigan a free-kick and the Brazilian goes nuts. Ha ha.

Zaki meets the corner but couldn't direct it on target.

Hart fumbles the throw in and looks for a free kick, and for once Bennett turns him down makes the right decision. Heskey couldn't turn it home and Wigan have a corner.

A rare burst from Wigan, and Valencia runs at Zabaleta. Throw in, right by the corner flag.

Another through ball for Ireland, this time from SWP, but he can't keep it in and Wigan have a goal kick.

Chance for Ireland, who gets the other side of Bramble, but his toe poke past the onrushing Kirkland bobbles wide of the post.

Melchiot wangs in another long throw and Zaki tries an ambitious volley. Nowt doing though.

Wigan win another soft free kick.

Wigan are wobbling here, but it serves them right for sitting back and trying to protect their lead when confronted with such an array of attacking talent that City possess. Get two up front again Brucey. Quick smart.

Some tidy football from City here but no clear cut chances. Again they were restricted to a strike from distance then, and Elano's effort wasn't far off. At all.

Jo whacks the free kick miles over. He's either brilliant or rubbish, from what I've seen so far. And usually the latter.

Michael Brown gets a deserved yellow card for tripping SWP as he was in full flight. In keeping with Brown's character that.

Couple of half chances from Wigan. A long throw finds Bramble in the area, who brings it down nicely, but Dunne gets a toe end before he can shoot, then Valencia does and it goes miles wide.

Zaki gets a bang from Micah Richards and wins a free-kick, which comes to nowt. Zaki comes back on the field to a rapturous, Shearer-like reception.

A great burst of speed from SWP but his ball is intercepted by Jo before Ireland could hit it, and the big Brazilian wastes the chance.

Cattermole is down, well actually he is up again now but will have to go off. Michael Brown is coming on for him.

Very nearly a very good ball from Elano in search of Robinho. Just a touch overhit.

Oooh Titus Bramble nearly scored! Kapo goes to ground as the cross came in from Valencia, but the big bumbling centre-back met it and it flashed a few feet wide.

Decent work from Cattermole, running at Garrido and winning his side a corner.

Ireland is getting on the ball plenty in the opening stages but doing little with it. Heskey looks to have gone to the right side of midfield too. Interesting eh?

We begin again...

Just before half-time, Hart gets in a mess from the corner, bumping into Dunne and spilling the ball, but he was back up to save from Zaki. A good half, and more goals to come. See you in 15 minutes..

Wigan win a corner after excellent defensive work from Valencia. He intercepted when SWP was looking threatening.

Zaki clears the corner with his head at the near post - now that is Shearer-like - then Bennett gives Wigan a free-kick when Richard Dunne is tripped in the box by Heskey. Astonishing.

Good save from Kirkland after an SWP cross loops towards the top corner. Err, corner for Man City.

Wigan looking solid, and playing pretty deep, which means Robinho only gets to see the ball if he drifts towards the halfway line.

Zaki is disgruntled as Bennett gives Man City the throw when it clearly came off SWP.

Its all gone a bit scrappy since the goal as Wigan try and hold on till half time.

Cattermole steals in really quickly on Kompany and gives it to Kapo but he tries a wildly ambitious effort instead of playing Zaki in wide.

Ireland has a chance to hit back straight away, just as Robinho did after Wigan scored their first, but he misses his header with the goal gaping.

Palacios was always going to go down if he got to the ball before Garrido but his swan dive was hilarious. Unbelievably, Bennett bought it. He's an awful referee. Always has been.

Zaki went right, Hart went left, and Wigan are ahead in very fortunate circumstances.

Zaki scores! Wigan 2-1 Man City!

Penalty! What an astonishing dive from Palacios as Garrido went to get the ball. A very poor decision, Kompany is booked for dissent, as is Robinho, and Bennett adoptas that headmaster-style patronising glare.

Valencia's ball in nearly dropped for Brmable but Dunne hacks clear.

This is an afternoon full of the softest free-kicks you will ever see. Wigan win one this time. Bwennett's a clown, he really is.

Zaki wins a header but Hart is out smartly before Heskey can profit.

Valencia gets a yellow card after a slightly high-footed tackle on Garrido. Bit harsh, but then that is Steve Bennett's middle name.

Kompany looked mildly embarrassed about that goal. He went to hit it with his right, missed it, but the ball cannoned off his knee and into the net!

Elano whips in a free kick, Figueroa misses it and it hits Kompany's left-knee and flies past Kirkland. All square.

GOAL! Kompany scores! 1-1!

Excellent work from Kapo on the left, he charges into Jo, shepherds him to safety then wins the throw in.

It should have been 1-1! Fabulous ball from Ireland, Robinho hits it on the turn from 15 yards out and it slides just past the post.

Wow! The free kick comes out to Valencia, he steadies himself then whacks it right into the top corner from 30 yards! Viva Ecuador! Hart didn't even move!

GOAL! Valencia! A belter!

Now Zaki bullies Kompany near the corner flag and wins a free kick. I'm impressed.

Ooh, Zaki is Alan Shearer! He cuts in from the left, swings his left boot from 25 yards and the ball is about a foot away from the top corner with Hart beaten!

Now Zaki wins a corner. Good work Shearer.

Nice turn from Heskey, and he looks for Zaki but Richards is across to clear. Good link-up from the Wigan front two though.

Garrido whips in a cross that falls to Ireland but his attempted volley is into the ground allowing Bramble to clear with his big head.

Giovanni Trapattoni is in the stands. Wonder if he'd ever heard of Wigan before he took the Republic of Ireland job?

There's plenty of chunky challenges flying in already, Ireland on the end of one from Heskey that time. Free kick.

Its all City at the moment, but very little cutting edge up front as yet.

Bramble shanks his clearance (imagine my surprise) but Elano was off balance and his volley squirms well wide.

This will be a chance to see if Amir Zaki really is as good as Alan Shearer, as his chairman Dave Whelan has been telling all and sundry.

We're off...

For Wigan, Zaki and Heskey look dangerous up front, while Palacios and Cattermole will provide plenty of fire in the engine room. Should be a cracker.

No place for left-back Michael Ball, as he missed the vital penalty against Brighton in the Carling Cup, so Garrido comes in.

Team news is in and City's Brazilians will be hoping to fire again as Jo, Elano and Robinho all line up.

Join us at 1600 BST to see if Manchester City can continue their good form against Wigan.

Heskey slides in and robs Elano, then Bennett gives Wigan a free-kick and the Brazilian goes nuts. Ha ha.

Zaki meets the corner but couldn't direct it on target.

Hart fumbles the throw in and looks for a free kick, and for once Bennett turns him down makes the right decision. Heskey couldn't turn it home and Wigan have a corner.

A rare burst from Wigan, and Valencia runs at Zabaleta. Throw in, right by the corner flag.

Another through ball for Ireland, this time from SWP, but he can't keep it in and Wigan have a goal kick.

Chance for Ireland, who gets the other side of Bramble, but his toe poke past the onrushing Kirkland bobbles wide of the post.

Melchiot wangs in another long throw and Zaki tries an ambitious volley. Nowt doing though.

Wigan win another soft free kick.

Wigan are wobbling here, but it serves them right for sitting back and trying to protect their lead when confronted with such an array of attacking talent that City possess. Get two up front again Brucey. Quick smart.

Some tidy football from City here but no clear cut chances. Again they were restricted to a strike from distance then, and Elano's effort wasn't far off. At all.

Jo whacks the free kick miles over. He's either brilliant or rubbish, from what I've seen so far. And usually the latter.

Michael Brown gets a deserved yellow card for tripping SWP as he was in full flight. In keeping with Brown's character that.

Couple of half chances from Wigan. A long throw finds Bramble in the area, who brings it down nicely, but Dunne gets a toe end before he can shoot, then Valencia does and it goes miles wide.

Zaki gets a bang from Micah Richards and wins a free-kick, which comes to nowt. Zaki comes back on the field to a rapturous, Shearer-like reception.

A great burst of speed from SWP but his ball is intercepted by Jo before Ireland could hit it, and the big Brazilian wastes the chance.

Cattermole is down, well actually he is up again now but will have to go off. Michael Brown is coming on for him.

Very nearly a very good ball from Elano in search of Robinho. Just a touch overhit.

Oooh Titus Bramble nearly scored! Kapo goes to ground as the cross came in from Valencia, but the big bumbling centre-back met it and it flashed a few feet wide.

Decent work from Cattermole, running at Garrido and winning his side a corner.

Ireland is getting on the ball plenty in the opening stages but doing little with it. Heskey looks to have gone to the right side of midfield too. Interesting eh?

We begin again...

Just before half-time, Hart gets in a mess from the corner, bumping into Dunne and spilling the ball, but he was back up to save from Zaki. A good half, and more goals to come. See you in 15 minutes..

Wigan win a corner after excellent defensive work from Valencia. He intercepted when SWP was looking threatening.

Zaki clears the corner with his head at the near post - now that is Shearer-like - then Bennett gives Wigan a free-kick when Richard Dunne is tripped in the box by Heskey. Astonishing.

Good save from Kirkland after an SWP cross loops towards the top corner. Err, corner for Man City.

Wigan looking solid, and playing pretty deep, which means Robinho only gets to see the ball if he drifts towards the halfway line.

Zaki is disgruntled as Bennett gives Man City the throw when it clearly came off SWP.

Its all gone a bit scrappy since the goal as Wigan try and hold on till half time.

Cattermole steals in really quickly on Kompany and gives it to Kapo but he tries a wildly ambitious effort instead of playing Zaki in wide.

Ireland has a chance to hit back straight away, just as Robinho did after Wigan scored their first, but he misses his header with the goal gaping.

Palacios was always going to go down if he got to the ball before Garrido but his swan dive was hilarious. Unbelievably, Bennett bought it. He's an awful referee. Always has been.

Zaki went right, Hart went left, and Wigan are ahead in very fortunate circumstances.

Zaki scores! Wigan 2-1 Man City!

Penalty! What an astonishing dive from Palacios as Garrido went to get the ball. A very poor decision, Kompany is booked for dissent, as is Robinho, and Bennett adoptas that headmaster-style patronising glare.

Valencia's ball in nearly dropped for Brmable but Dunne hacks clear.

This is an afternoon full of the softest free-kicks you will ever see. Wigan win one this time. Bwennett's a clown, he really is.

Zaki wins a header but Hart is out smartly before Heskey can profit.

Valencia gets a yellow card after a slightly high-footed tackle on Garrido. Bit harsh, but then that is Steve Bennett's middle name.

Kompany looked mildly embarrassed about that goal. He went to hit it with his right, missed it, but the ball cannoned off his knee and into the net!

Elano whips in a free kick, Figueroa misses it and it hits Kompany's left-knee and flies past Kirkland. All square.

GOAL! Kompany scores! 1-1!

Excellent work from Kapo on the left, he charges into Jo, shepherds him to safety then wins the throw in.

It should have been 1-1! Fabulous ball from Ireland, Robinho hits it on the turn from 15 yards out and it slides just past the post.

Wow! The free kick comes out to Valencia, he steadies himself then whacks it right into the top corner from 30 yards! Viva Ecuador! Hart didn't even move!

GOAL! Valencia! A belter!

Now Zaki bullies Kompany near the corner flag and wins a free kick. I'm impressed.

Ooh, Zaki is Alan Shearer! He cuts in from the left, swings his left boot from 25 yards and the ball is about a foot away from the top corner with Hart beaten!

Now Zaki wins a corner. Good work Shearer.

Nice turn from Heskey, and he looks for Zaki but Richards is across to clear. Good link-up from the Wigan front two though.

Garrido whips in a cross that falls to Ireland but his attempted volley is into the ground allowing Bramble to clear with his big head.

Giovanni Trapattoni is in the stands. Wonder if he'd ever heard of Wigan before he took the Republic of Ireland job?

There's plenty of chunky challenges flying in already, Ireland on the end of one from Heskey that time. Free kick.

Its all City at the moment, but very little cutting edge up front as yet.

Bramble shanks his clearance (imagine my surprise) but Elano was off balance and his volley squirms well wide.

This will be a chance to see if Amir Zaki really is as good as Alan Shearer, as his chairman Dave Whelan has been telling all and sundry.

We're off...

For Wigan, Zaki and Heskey look dangerous up front, while Palacios and Cattermole will provide plenty of fire in the engine room. Should be a cracker.

No place for left-back Michael Ball, as he missed the vital penalty against Brighton in the Carling Cup, so Garrido comes in.

Team news is in and City's Brazilians will be hoping to fire again as Jo, Elano and Robinho all line up.

Join us at 1600 BST to see if Manchester City can continue their good form against Wigan.