Almost the icing on the cake for the hosts! Zaki shows great determination to battle away from Zabaleta and Dunne before seeing his curling, dipping effort well tipped over by Hart.

Is that the chance? Kompany hits a snap-shot from the edge of the box but Kirkland gets himself behind it.

There are going to be three minutes of time added on here.

Zaki and Dunne do battle for the umpteenth time today and once again it is the big Egyptian that wins it and Dunne is clearly less than impressed as he concedes a free-kick.

City are incredibly frustrated as Wigan pack the defence and are happy to beat away everything that the 'richest club in the world' are prepared to throw at them.

Mark Hughes is using Micah Richards as another emergency striker at the moment so City are certainly going for it.

Another scandalous piece of refereeing! RIchards drives forward to collect an Ireland through ball and as he enters the area Bramble takes the ball then the man and also gets a free-kick when a penalty seemed more likely.

Wigan are still showing great desire in defence as they hound the City players down but in attack they are beginning to hold less of a threat.

What a chance for Evans! He out muscles Bramble in the box but his poked effort is slowed down enough by Kirkland that the former Newcastle defender can clear off the line.

Shades of Rivaldo from Robinho as Melchiot hooks the ball into the Brazilian's chest but the former Madrid man flops embarassingly to the floor clutching his face.

Wigan have changed the pattern of play by moving Heskey forward again but City break on them and Kirland does well to deny Wright-Phillips from close range.

Figueroa does have a massive throw on him and Hart makes a mess of this one and drops it to Heskey but Richards is alive to deflect it over.

Straight up the other end and Zabaleta's long ball deceives Bramble and Ireland's chip over Kirkland falls just wide of the faar post - clever from the Irishman.

Zaki is back on the floor holding the same knee after an acrobatic attempt inside the area that hit Dunne before dropping into the hands of Hart - but he is fine again.

Steve Bruce has clearly seen the problem his team had and Heskey is back up front to try and occupt City in much deeper areas of the pitch.

Wigan are giving themselves all sorts of problems by sitting on the edge of their own box and Elano is inches from punishing them with a fierce effort from the edge of the box.

Titus Bramble is not known for clever touches but he produces one with his chest from Figueroa's throw and if not for Richards' outstretched leg he would have been pulling the trigger.

The Egyptian is back on the field and not moving too badly at the moment.

More injury woes for Steve Bruce as Amr Zaki limps off for treatment after being uncermeoniously clatterred in the air by Micah Richards.

Shaun Wright-Phillips looks like a new player now he is back at City and he takes on four on the right wing before a clever cutback for Jo who fails to finish it off.

Lee Cattermole has been amongst the best at pressing the City midfield today but his afternoon appears over as he limps off hte field - Michael Brown is being readied.

Clever from the inventive Valencia as he chips a little cross into the penalty spot - after a terrible corner is returned to him - and Bramble is flies in completely free but only heads wide.

Wigan are definitely out to do a containing job again at the start of this half as Heskey begins on the right flank once more and that will only invite City onto them.

City are piling on the pressure at the moment and Heskey has been forced back onto the right wing to help out defensively at least until half-time.

Wright-Phillips gives Kirkland a big problem with a miscued cross that is dipping under the crossbar until the big goalkeeper dives back to tip it over the bar.

Wigan have seen of the immediate push from the visitors with relative ease this time and Heskey is promptly back alongside Zaki.

Again City come roaring back at Wigan after conceding and Steve Bruce responds by moving Heskey wide right to shore up the midfield for the time being.

Penalty to Wigan! Palacios drives into the box and Garrido hangs out a leg and Palacios is more than delighted to throw himself over it.

TItus Bramble nearly has a superb chance to get Wigan ahead again but Dunne swings his right leg out in the nick of time to deny him a shot on goal.

Palacios is incredulous, and so are the Wigan fans, as he beats Garrido but play is pulled back for a foul on the Honduran despite him being in on goal.

Figeuroa does his best Rory Delap impression with a huge throw into the box but Richard Dunne rises well to clear the immediate danger.

Things are finally picking up and Ireland plays a delightful little ball in for Robinho who should have equalised but squeezed his effort wide. The Wigan fans are chanting 'What a waste of money' - a little early for that maybe.

It has taken 14 minutes but the first effort on goal is almost well worth waiting for as Zaki powers a bending left-foot strike from the corner of the area just inches wide of the far post.

Jo has hardly had a kick and Heskey and Zaki are starting to test Richards and Dunne in the air as Wigan perhaps look to tkae control.

City are really finding it hard to get time on the ball and Elano is being rushed into conceding possession in the midfield.

Still very little to excite here as both sides struggle to keep possession - Wigan are very quick to close City down, especially Lee Cattermole who is snapping at the heels of Robinho.

A slow and steady start at the JJB from both teams as they try to suss each other out in the opening exchanges.