Welcome along! It’s Week 2, Matchday 2 of this season’s Champions League group stages and after Manchester United and Chelsea enjoyed wins last night, it’s the turn of their respective City rivals – Manchester City and Arsenal.

We’re about 40 minutes away from kick-off in both.

After narrowly missing out on progressing through the group stages in their maiden Champions League campaign last season, City once again find themselves in a tough group and despite scoring two goals at the Bernabeu, lost out 3-2 to Real Madrid a couple of weeks ago.

Tonight, they host German champions Borussia Dortmund… whose fans have arrived at the Etihad nice and early:

Credit: George Hamilton

Arsenal recorded a 2-1 win over Montpellier in France and are at home to Olympiakos tonight. They will be keen to bounce back from their first defeat of the season – a 2-1 loss at the hands of Chelsea on Sunday.

Here are the starting line-ups in that one:

Arsenal: Mannone, Jenkinson, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Cazorla, Coquelin, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho, Podolski. Subs: Shea, Andre Santos, Giroud, Walcott, Ramsey, Djourou, Arshavin.

Olympiakos: Megyeri, Diakite, Manolas, Contreras, Holebas, Siovas, Maniatis, Greco, David Fuster, Paulo Machado, Mitroglou. Subs: Carroll, Modesto, Ibagaza, Pantelic, Lykogiannis, Diogo, Abdoun.

Here’s how City and Dortmund will line out:

Manchester City: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy; D.Silva, J.Garcia, Y.Toure, Nasri; Aguero, Dzeko. Subs: Pantilimon, Lescott, Milner, Kolarov, Rodwell, Tevez, Balotelli.

Borussia Dortmund: Weidenfeller; Schmelzer, Hummels, Subotic, Piszczek: Bender, Gündogan; Blaszczykowski, Götze, Reus; Lewandowski. Subs: Langerak, Kehl, Leitner, Grosskreutz, Schieber, Felipe Santana, Perisic.

So Mancini opts for Edin Dzeko ahead of Carlos Tevez. The Bosnian international will know tonight’s opponents well, having spent four years in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg. David Silva, Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero will play in behind Dzeko, while Recent signing Javi Garcia begins in the middle with Yaya Toure.

Young Serbian Matija Nastasic is alongside Vincent Kompany in the defence so Joleon Lescott misses out.

Dortmund may have lost Shinji Kagawa to Manchester United but they remain a formidable side. Polish striker Robert Lewandowski is one of the most sought-after players in Europe while fellow Polish international Jakub Blaszczykowski, Mario Gotze and Marco Reus, who joined from Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer will create plenty.

Mat Hummels was excellent for Germany at Euro 2012 and is at centre-half.

Champions League theme song is being belted out and we’re about three minutes from kick-off. Expecting goals tonight.

And we’re off at a lightning pace. The game is less than 30 seconds old when Samir Nasri gets a shot away before Sergio Aguero falls while trying to get away from Gotze. Lewandowski then gets a header off down the other end but it’s wide.

Reus crosses from the right and Lewandowski rises above Pablo Zabaleta but again can’t direct his header towards goal.

Real chance for the home side as David Silva picks out the excellent run from Aguero. The Argentine striker is away from Neven Subotic but hits straight at the body of Weidenfeller, who is quick off his line. Subotic can’t clear when the ball comes back out and Zabaleta fires over the bar.

Super save from Joe Hart prevents a certain Dortmund goal. Lewnadowski breaks from deep and plays in Gotze. The attacking midfielder has Blaszczykowski on the overlap, which drags Gael Clichy away and allows him a shot on goal. It’s hit with power and need a strong hand of Hart to push it onto the post.

The rain may be pouring down in Manchester but the visiting fans are having a ball and are making much more noise than their City counterparts.

A well-timed run by Dzeko is picked out and he latches onto it but is judged to be offside. The replay shows he is in fact on, however.

Aguero then breaks free for the second time in the match but it’s the same outcome – a solid save from Weidenfeller.

City have been forced into a substitution – Javi Garcia appears to have a problem with his thigh and will be coming off for Jack Rodwell.

Looks who’s here to watch his former side play his new city rivals…

David Silva is having a smashing game and the Spanish schemer feeds Aguero. El Kun advances a couple of yards then thumps a shot towards the roof of the net, where Weidenfeller again keeps it out.

Dortmund are next to test the opposing keeper through the unlikely outlet of Subotic. The Serbian defender takes a touch before volleying just wide from distance.

More goalmouth action and I’m not quite sure how the visitors aren’t ahead. On two occasions he keeps Gotze at bay – first blocking the ball, then tipping a shot onto the crossbar.

GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Olympiakos (Gervinho)

Just before half-time, the Ivorian international drives the ball home from outside the box to hand the Gunners the lead.

Silva volleys well over from close range after Aguero is tackled and Zabaleta takes up the attack, crossing to the back post.

Half-time: Manchester City 0-0 Borussia Dortmund

And the scores elsewhere…

• Arsenal 1-1 Olympiakos
• Schalke 1-1 Montpellier
• Dinamo Kiev 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
• FC Porto 0-0 PSG
• Zenit 2-3 AC Milan (result)
• Anderlecht 0-1 Malaga
• Ajax 0-1 Real Madrid

How we’re still scoreless here, I’m not quite sure. Both goalkeepers have been in top form but even taking that into account we should’ve had a couple of goals. Dortmund looking the better side but City are dangerous going forward.

At the Emirates, Arsenal concede right before the half-time whistle. Kostas Mitroglou equalises for the Greeks with a brilliant header.

And, we’re back. All we were missing in the opening half and there’s no way we could go another 45 minutes without seeing one.

• Attempts on goal: Manchester City 6-11 Borussia Dortmund
• On target: Manchester City 4-6 Borussia Dortmund

Yet more heroics from Hart in the City goal. Blaszczykowski slips in Lukasz Pisczek, who cuts back to Gotze. The 20-year-old is stopped by the England keeper, however.

GOAL! Arsenal 2-1 Olympiakos (Lukas Podolski)

City withdraw Nasri for Aleksandar Kolarov and have gone to a back three. The defender’s first involvement ends in a yellow card for Blaszczykowski.

GOAL! Manchester City 0-1 Borussia Dortmund (Marco Reus)

AND WE’RE OFF THE MARK! Jack Rodwell receives a pass from Toure and plays a blind one right into the path of Reus, who had read it excellently to burst through on goal. Hart stands up but can’t get a strong enough hand on the strike across his body. It’s a sixth goal in ten games for 23-year-old, who won German footballer of the Year last season.

Since the goal, Dortmund have upped it again and were inches away from doubling their lead from Reus again. Hart saves this time, then tips over from Ilkay Gundogan’s effort from the edge of the box.

Here’s the goal. Bad mistake from Rodwell but Reus capitalises terrifically:

YouTube credit: ManFromSimbirsk

Aguero on the end of Kolarov’s through-ball but he opts to pass when a shooting would’ve been a better option and Hummels cuts out.

Blaszczykowski bundles Aguero over but the referee waves on. Then Kolarov crashes into the Pole and gives away a free-kick.

That’s Hummels’ last action and the injured defender comes off for Brazilian defender Feilipe Santana.

Absolute sitter from Lewandowski. Toure is robbed of possession and Gundogan sprints down the right flank before putting in a cracking cross. Lewandowski is first to it but chooses to go with the outside of his right boot and fires wide of the mark.

It’s Mario time. Balotelli will get 10 minutes to get something for City or they’re in grave danger of missing out on the knockout stages. He’s on for Clichy.

Gundogan, who was immense tonight, is off for Kevin Grosskreutz.

Super move by the Citizens. Dzeko, Balotelli and Zabaleta combine and Aguero’s header is just saved.

Sebastian Kehl on for Gotze, who is a smashing player.

PENALTY TO CITY! Subotic is penalised for a raised arm. Harsh decision but they are given.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-1 Borussia Dortmund (Mario Balotelli)

Balotelli bullies Aguero off the spot-kick and is the coolest man in the stadium as he sends Weidenfeller the wrong way.

Joe Hart with his umpteenth save of the night and it’s one of his best. Lewandowski lets fly from 20 yards and the City stopper gets across superbly. Man-of-the-match performance.

Santana handles to give City a free-kick but it’s cleared. Dortmund then break but they can’t get a shot off.

Full-time: Joe Hart 1-1 Borussia Dortmund

GOAL! Arsenal 3-1 Olympiakos (Aaron Ramsey)

Full-time: Arsenal 3-1 Olympiakos

Here’s the rest of the Champions League full-time scores:

• Schalke 2-2 Montpellier
• Dinamo Kiev 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
• FC Porto 1-0 PSG
• Zenit 2-3 AC Milan
• Anderlecht 0-3 Malaga
• Ajax 1-4 Real Madrid

Balotelli’s spot-kick:

YouTube credit: Epicsniper3x

It could have been 10-10 and we’ve got to be happy with a point. The group is still alive for us. Dortmund were top class and it took a big effort to keep it to one,” Joe Hart speaking to Sky Sports.

That’s the end of the liveblog but we’ll have a round-up of all tonight’s games plus five things that we learned this evening. Cheers as always the company!