Galway 1-15 Derry 0-15 – This was a satisfactory start to the League for Galway, who did most of the damage early on.  The main post match talking point will certainly be the influence of Michael Meehan during the 70 minutes.  Meehan scored 1-5 and was outstanding as Galway’s go to guy inside.

It doesn’t get any easier for Derry because they host Laois at Celtic Park next Sunday.  Laois looked promising in their triumph over Armagh.  Galway are on the road to Drogheda.  Alan Mulholland will be hoping to build on this win.

Good afternoon. After Spurs earned themselves three points at the Hawthorns with a 1-0 win over West Brom, the second fixture of the day sees Liverpool travel to Eastlands for a meeting with champions Manchester City.

Wayne Rooney’s winner against Fulham yesterday saw them open a 10-point lead at the top of the table so three points here for Roberto Mancini’s side is a must. How do you think the game will go?

Here are the teams:

Man City: Hart, Zabaleta, Lescott, Nastasic, Clichy, Milner, Javi Garcia, Barry, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko. Subs: Pantilimon, Maicon, Nasri, Sinclair, Kolarov, Rodwell, Tevez.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Jose Enrique, Lucas, Gerrard, Downing, Henderson, Suarez, Sturridge. Subs: Jones, Allen, Borini, Sterling, Shelvey, Skrtel, Wisdom.

Liverpool, currently seventh, bounced back from FA Cup exit at the hands of Oldham by holding Arsenal to a 2-2 draw at the Emirates earlier this week. The last team these two met back in August it ended in a draw. As the tweet below explains, victory against City would be huge:

Brendan Rodgers and Roberto Mancini have just shared a word, the handshakes are out of the way, so we’re all set to go.

Liverpool kick off but it’s the home team who are first to test the opposing goalkeeper. A throw-in on the left finds its way to Gareth Barry, who exchanges passes with David Silva before the Spaniard has a pop from 20 yards. The dipping volley is excellently-hit and Pepe Reina is stretching to tip over the bar.

Daniel Agger concedes a corner and it’s taken short by James Milner. He takes it back and whips a cross in where Javi Garcia connects but his header is well off-target.

Big chance for Liverpool. Glen Johnson lofts a ball over the top and brilliant control by Daniel Sturridge takes him past Joe Hart. Sturridge looks favourite to score but a block comes in from Pablo Zabaleta just as he goes to pull the trigger.

City break moments later and James Milner is inches from getting onto a cross with his head.

Daniel Agger leaps highest to head a Liverpool corner towards goal, where Carragher attempts to flick it into the back of the net but gets too much on it when a deft touch is needed.

Oh dear, that’s a pretty terrible finish by Suarez. Sturridge burns Matija Nastasic with his pace and cuts back for his strike partner, who slices horribly.

City then put themselves under pressure needlessly when Lescott’s clearance strikes Sturridge and Suarez picks up the ball. His left foot effort fizzes just across Hart’s goal.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Liverpool (Edin Dzeko)

They’ve been stretched by the away side in the last feww minutes but City are ahead. Milner is slotted through on the left and the England international puts an inviting ball into an area which Dzeko attacks to stroke home.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool (Daniel Sturridge)

Liverpool are level. The ball is worked well but should be cleared by Garcia. When it falls to Sturridge just outside the City box, he hits a crisp drive through the bodies and into the bottom corner.

The City players, and Dzeko in particular, aren’t happy as the Bosnian was brought down by Agger moments earlier but referee Anthony Taylor waved play on. The striker is booked for protesting before the restart.

Jordan Henderson becomes the first Liverpool player  into Mr Taylor’s book after catching Milner with a late challenge.

Liverpool are not afraid to get forward in numbers – Suarez nearly gets by Nastastic before Johnson over-hits his cross from an advanced area.

Major blushes sparred for Zabaleta. After Johnson storms forward, the ball rolls through where the Argentine defender looks to play a simple pass to his goalkeeper. There’s clearly a lack of communication, however, as Hart storms out and watches on as the ball dribbles just outside the post.

Half-time: Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool

Haven’t seen the goals yet? You’re welcome.

YouTube credit: Videolivehd3

YouTube credit: TheSportandfun

Norwich’s Russell Martin was the last player to score against the Citizens (back in December) before today:

We’re just restarted. Milner checks back onto his left and curls another great ball towards the far post but nobody gambles on it.

The same player sends in a City corner and Garcia is guilty of an awful attempt on goal with his head.

Liverpool free-kick 35 yards out. Suarez takes, and smacks it off the wall before complaining to the referee – presumably about how near the City players were.

Liverpool have been piling on the pressure with Gerrard, Suarez and Henderson all having chances in the last few minutes.

Sturridge, meanwhile, has been shown a yellow card after going down in the box under pressure from Lescott.

Mancini needs to shake things up and has hauled off Nastasic and brought on Aleksandar Kolarov. Looks like they will go to three at the back.

Jamie Carragher receives a caution for coming through the back of Sergio Aguero so Kolarov will have his first involvement. He can’t beat the wall though.

Liverpool still going for it but City have just shown they’re well capable of finding a winner. First, Aguero picks up the ball and leaves Gerrard for dead but falls when he gets 15 yards out. Then Barry heads over.

Downing, who has received a lot of criticism since arriving but, has been a real threat today but can only find the sidenetting with his shot. End-to-end football right now and it could easily go either way.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-2 Liverpool (Steven Gerrard)

What. A. Hit. Gerrard chests down a clearances and smashes a volley past Hart and the Reds are in front with just over 15 minutes to play.

GOAL! Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool (Sergio Aguaero)

Another out-of-this world finish draws City level again. Aguero beats Reina to the ball and squeezes it inside the post from an acute angle for his ninth Premier League goal of the season.

Maicon, not long on for David Silva, heads just over from a corner. Four minutes remain.

About to be closed down, Sturridge manages to get his toe-pole on target but Hart saves. We’re into the first of five added minutes now.

Full-time: Manchester City 2-2 Liverpool

Wow, that was intense. What a game. Manchester City rescue a point through an unbelievable finish from Aguero but now find themselves nine behind City rivals United. Liverpool showed great spirit throughout and have earned two excellent draws against top sides this week.

That’s all for me, cheers as always for the company.