606: DEBATE Your thoughts on the action

Send us your views, comments and opinions on Sunday's game - text us on 81111 or use 606

By Caroline Cheese

1804: Thanks for all your contributions today folks. It's made a dull game a lot more lively. Don't forget MOTD2 tonight at 10pm on BBC2. The highlights of today's game shouldn't take too long so that means there'll be plenty of time for a bit of fun with Adrian Chiles and the gang.

1758: The player of the day award goes to City skipper Micah Richards on 6.6, just ahead of match-winner Michael Johnson of 6.4. Darius Vassell brings up the rear on 5.4. But you can change history! Head for BBC Sport's Player Rater and have your say.

1755: FULL-TIME Man City 1-0 Aston Villa
Michael Johnson's barmstorming goal is the difference as Manchester City go second in the Premier League. Second half slightly better than the first - but a pretty turgid affair.

1754: Gareth Barry prevents the second goal. Martin Petrov slips the ball through for Rolando Bianchi, who rounds the keeper but Barry deflects the shot behind for a corner.

1750: Less than a minute of the 90 remaining and City are looking for a second to wrap this up. A couple of corners come to nothing though.

1748: Michael Johnson could have earned a free-kick for a foul by Zat Knight but he stays on his feet and bursts into the penalty area but his eventual shot is easily blocked.

1746: Emile Mpenza makes way for Rolando Bianchi as Manchester City look to shake up their attack.

1743: Aston Villa make a double change. Stilyan Petrov for Nigel Reo-Coker - who has been completely anonymous. Craig Gardner on for Wilfred Bouma - so Gareth Barry switches to left-back. Manchester City bring on Michael Ball for Elano.

1741: Yet another flap from Kasper Schmeichel from Ashley Young's cross but the keeper's living a charmed life and the ball falls to a team-mate.

1737: "Sportinglife said at half-time that it's been an entertaining game! Is the Beeb lying or sportinglife?"
Lucy via text on 81111 (Well let's not accuse anyone of lying but someone is putting an astonishingly positive spin on things)

1734: But wait... the ball's in the net. But the ref spots Luke Moore pushing Vedran Corluka out of the way before he bundles home Gareth Barry's free-kick. He also put it in with his arm. Other than that, an excellent finish.

1733: "Where are all these balloons coming from? It's like they're dropping from the heavens."
BBC 5live commentator Alan Green

1731: The camera pans to City owner Thaksin Shinawatra who's sitting next to a character with a bright yellow coat over their head. And yes, the inside of a bright yellow coat probably is more interesting than this rubbish.

1728: "(Re: 1719) Work in the am poor excuse. It's five in the afternoon how much sleep do u need?"
Anon via text on 81111

1727: Villa make a tactical change now, as John Carew is replaced by Shaun Maloney. He'll play on the left, with Ashley Young on the right and Gabby Agbonlahor and Luke Moore up front.

1724: And now Darius Vassell is hobbling about. The striker can't continue and Sun Jihai replaces him. Not a great first game of the season for the former Villa man.

1722: Kasper Schmeichel is injured. He's looking over at the bench where Joe Hart leaps off the bench and begins warming up. It's absolutely tipping down now.

1720: "I think this heavy drizzle might help the game, make it a little bit quicker."
Lawro on BBC 5live

1719: "Blame TV for the empty seats, what a stupid kick-off time! I was going but thought no way! I have work am."
Anon via text on 81111

1716: A bundle of sky blue balloons has just emerged in the centre circle. Elano puts a stop to their fun by carrying them off the pitch.

1715: "Did Micah Richards just faint from all the excitement?"
Jason_FC on 606

1713: There's been more entertainment in the last four minutes than in the whole of the first half. Wilfred Bouma delivers the cross but John Carew can't get his header on target.

1711: City fans are still celebrating that unlikely goal when stand-in skipper Micah Richards goes down injured. He has treatment but he's back up and running.

1709: GOAL Man City 1-0 Aston Villa
Take a bow, Michael Johnson. The midfielder goes on a rampaging run through the midfield and provides a precise angled finish. A high-quality goal - very much out of keeping with the game.

1707: "I think Man City will win and they will have to win if they want to attract people into the stadium because there are so many empty seats."
Tuncay via text on 81111 (Tuncay? Middlesbrough's Turkish striker?)

1705: WICKET!... oh sorry. Back at the football, they've kicked off.

1702: The half-time comments via text and on 606 must have set some sort of record for the number of times "paint" and "dry" have been used in a 15-minute period. My favourite is one I can't print in case there are delicate eyes reading. The anonymous texter said he would rather pluck all the hair from somewhere (not his head) than watch the second half.

1659: Just for a laugh, I've had a look at BBC Sport's Player Rater for this game. Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor are both on a round 7 - presumably a reward for passing to one of their team-mates. I think this must be some sort of joke but Kasper Schmeichel has got 6.82... must be for entertainment value.

1656: "I don't see why people find this so dull. For me the idea of a shot on goal ruins the idea of football."
Kravat on 606 (That was irony... I think)

1652: It seems like a whole world away now but at 1524 BST I opened up by saying I thought this would be an entertaining game. I don't know what I was thinking, I really don't. I can honestly say it's been about as entertaining as (now thankfully defunct sitcom) The Brittas Empire.

1650: HALF-TIME Man City 0-0 Aston Villa
Zzzzzzzzzz... is it over yet?

1647: John Carew gives Kasper Schmeichel a break from being the game's only entertainer by unleashing a volley - which has so much bend on it, it goes out for a throw-in... on the half-way line. I made up that last bit. But believe me, it was appalling.

1645: "This is torture. I could have been watching the EastEnders omnibus."
BBC 5live commentator Alan Green

1643: "It's all a bit too thrilling for me... might have to open a tin of peas and count them all..."
Jason_FC on 606

1641: "Re: Harewood (see 1629 and 1633) - did no-one detect the irony?"
Ben via text on 81111 (It seems not Ben. Aren't you clever?)

1637: I cannot believe I thought this was going to be an entertaining game. It's ropey so far. So ropey that Lawro is reduced to telling rubbish jokes to the poor BBC 5live listeners. If you do want some guaranteed entertainment, why not check in with my colleague Jonathan "Stevo" Stevenson and England's first game in the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 World Cup. England have won the toss - brilliant.

1636: Thank goodness for Kasper. The keeper fumbles Gabby Agbonlahor's disappointing cross but grabs hold of it eventually.

1633: "(Re: 1629) When hell freezes over."
gunner-rossmcd on 606

1630: Close from Villa. Gareth Barry swings over a corner from the right and Martin Laursen rises unchallenged at the near post to head it just beyond the far post.

1629: "I see Villa's best striker isn't even on the bench. When will Harewood be given his chance to shine?"
Ben via text on 81111

1626: Kasper Schmeichel is providing the only entertainment of the game. He comes for a ball, misses it, but recovers just in time to get a desperate hand on Gabby Agbonlahor's angled shot.

1625: "I think Schmeichel's decided he's just going to come for everything, instead of weighing up each one individually."
Lawro on BBC 5live

1622: Aston Villa make a mess of clearing the ball from just outside the penalty area and the ball rebounds to Elano, who plays in Michael Johnson. Scott Carson is out quickly to smother the shot.

1619: Darius Vassell's back-header from Martin Petrov's free-kick goes harmlessly behind for a goal kick. There are rows upon rows upon rows of empty seats at the City of Manchester Stadium and maybe that's affected the players. It's all a bit quiet so far.

1617: Kasper Schmeichel comes for Gareth Barry's cross and flaps nervously at it. He gets away with it though because Gabriel Agbonlahor can't get any purchase on his shot.

1613: City defender Vedran Corluka is pottering about in midfield with the ball when he realises Aston Villa aren't interested in closing him down. The Croatian ventures forward and unleashes a shot from 20 yards but it goes harmlessly wide. Richards seems to be OK now.

1611: "Big match between the old England manager and the guy who should have been!"
PG via text on 81111

1608: Well I was about to tell you there wasn't much to tell you but then Villa's John Carew goes on a rampaging run down the right, cuts into the penalty area but then scuffs his shot. The best moment of the match so far. Micah Richards is hobbling.

1604: A wee bit late but we're under way.

1603: "I hate to be the man to dampen the excitement, but I can only see a dull 0-0 today, two defensive teams happy to battle for a draw. I won't be watching..."
chumbawumba2 on 606

1600: Right sorry about that diversion. The teams are out pinging a few balls around and the Manchester City mascot is absolutely tiny. The little fella, who is about the same size as the ball, has a shot which doesn't quite make it to the goal. He's quickly onto the follow-up though, and the City fans give him a huge roar. Good striker's instinct from the toddler.

1559: "Hey i wanna shout out to my boyfriend Justin he is the best ever please will u tell him i love him and no1 cares about the age difference. Thanks."
Ciara via text on 81111 (No problem, Ciara, although I can't help thinking you might have got the wrong number)

1557: Thaksin Shinawatra is out on the pitch waving regally at the adoring Manchester City fans. He's loving all this.

1553: Stuart Pearce is in the crowd. He's on the phone, although no one's answering. Maybe he's calling David Bentley...

1552: "Great call Sven, bringing in Vas for this one, we all know how well he does against his old club. City 3-1 winners today."
Mark, Brighton, via text on 81111

1548: Sven-Goran Eriksson obviously did his homework while waiting for his players to return from international duty. Darius Vassell, who starts today for the first time this season, has scored five goals in six games against his former club Villa.

1545: "I'd like to see a 3-3 draw."
larafalucion on 606 (And I'd like to see a 6-5)

1544: Lawro reckons Villa will win this 2-0, a surprisingly bold prediction from the Lancastrian legend. So says Lawro: "The newness of Sven-Goran Eriksson's arrival has worn off and with so many players away on international duty he will not have had much opportunity to work on shape and systems."

1543: It's 18 months since Manchester City last played a league game without Richard Dunne. Blimey. That can't be true can it?

1537: "I used to go to school with Ashley Young and am backing him to have a blinder today after being with the England squad for the past week. Do you agree with his inclusion?"
Greg, Stevenage, via text on 81111 (Yes I do, Greg. Thanks for asking)

1531: Hereth the team news... Vedran Corluka stands in for the suspended Richard Dunne in the centre of Manchester City's defence, with Nedum Onuoha coming in at right-back while Darius Vassell replaces Rolando Bianchi and Emile Mpenza plays instead of Stephen Ireland. Aston Villa unchanged from the team that beat Chelsea.

1524: It's Sunday and none of the big four are playing so that means Manchester City and Aston Villa can come out to play. I reckon it could be an entertaining game, but of course it doesn't matter what I think, it's all about you good people. Drop me a text on 81111 or join the fun on 606.