• Date: Wed 30 January 2008
  • Venue: Pride Park Stadium
  • Ref: Bennett, S
  • Attendance: 31,368

Derby County vs Manchester City

Team Lineups

Derby County

Lewis Price
Darren Moore
Dean Leacock
Claude Davis (Andy Todd, 70)
Marc Edworthy
Hossam Ghaly
Robbie Savage
Stephen Pearson (Giles Barnes, 83)
Craig Fagan
Kenny Miller
Robert Earnshaw (Emanuel Villa, 88)

Manchester City

Joe Hart
Vedran Corluka
Sun Jihai
Michael Ball
Richard Dunne
Stephen Ireland
Gelson Fernandes
Martin Petrov
Daniel Sturridge (Deiberson Geovanni, 72)
Kelvin Etuhu (Blumer Elano, 55)
Darius Vassell (Emile Lokonda Mpenza, 79)


Live Text Commentary
Full time
 

FT:Derby 1-1 Man City: At the end of a pulsating game the points are shared which is probably a fair result based on the way the sides battled for 90 minutes.

90

But he strikes it into the wall and Derby clear and that is probably the last attack we will see.

90

City have a free-kick 30 yards from goal and Elano is waiting behind it to strike at goal - this could be the final kick.

90

Time is almost up but it is Man City doing the majority of the pressing in injury time but they can't find a way through.

90

There will be four minutes of added time here.

89

Kenny Miller has a go at goal from the edge of the penalty area and forces a good save from Joe Hart. That was a good effort from the Scot.

87
Substitution
 

Now Jewell throws on Emanuel Villa in place of the lively Rob Earnshaw to try and grab the winner.

86

Another common theme of this game has been players falling down injured and this time it is Marc Edworthy who is the unfortunate man.

83
Substitution
 

And here comes Derby's main man as Giles Barnes replaces Stephen Pearson - can he open up the City defence?

83

The pace has finally begun to slow a little and that comes as no great surprise because both these teams have thrown everything at each other so far.

80
Substitution
 

Emile Mpenza is coming on to add more weight to the City front line and he replaces the wasteful Vassell.

78

Derby have a chance to break but after failing to take advantage of a two-on-two Richard Dunne gets back to head away Fagan's cross for a corner.

76
Yellow Card
 

Vedran Corluka scythes down Robbie Savage as the combative midfielder looked to escape through the middle.

75

Manchester City look very dangerous when Petrov collects the ball on the left hand side of hte field because his delivery has been nothing short of sensational tonight.

72
Substitution
 

Perhaps Sturridge is a little unlucky here to be replaced by Geovanni when Vassell is probably the striker who should be off the field.

72

Darius Vassell has wasted yet another chance as Petrov finds him with another brilliant cross but hte former England striker fires over from 5 yards.

70
Substitution
 

Claude Davis has been forced off injured and receives a good ovation after a superb display and Andy Todd is on for him.

69
Yellow Card
 

Hossam Ghaly picks up the first yellow card of the game for a deliberate hand ball as Gelson tried to feed Elano.

66

That goal from Sturridge has silenced the crowd a little now and you do sense perhaps that could take some of the belief out of the home side.

63
Goal
 

GOAL:Derby 1-1 Man City: (63mins) Petrov delivers another superb ball into the box and Sturridge finishes cooly to level the scores and Derby are back at square one. What a moment for the young striker!

61

Derby are the quicker to the loose balls and they seem like they want the points more than City who look to suffering from a mini crisis of confidence.

59

Craig Fagan is seeing a lot of the ball on Derby's right hand side and with a little more quality in his final ball he could create some really good chances.

56
Substitution
 

Elano is stripped and ready to enter the fray and he will now replace Kelvin Etuhu - so Derby have another test now.

55

This game is still as exciting and vibrant in the opening stages of this half as it was in the first and with City having to really push for an equaliser it promises to get even better.

52

Stephen Ireland has a great chance to equalise now for City but he dallies on the ball and with Sturridge waiting for a tap-in sees his shot blocked and Derby clear.

51

Derby County are laying siege to Hart's goal at the start of this half and Kenny Miller almost finds himself with a chance to double their advantage.

48

It took Derby just 28 seconds of the second half to grab the lead and it will be interesting to see how they play now they have the lead.

46
Goal
 

GOAL:Derby 1-0 Man City: (46mins) And there it is. Kenny Miller's shot deflects wickedly off Sun Jihai before spinning horribly wide of Joe Hart.

Second half
 

The second period is underway and it is difficult to see this game going much longer without a goal being scored by someone.

Half time
 

HT:Derby 0-0 Man City: It is all square at the break in a game that Derby have come closest as Earnshaw struck a post although Vassell could have a hat-trick.

45

Cool defending from Savage who chests up and then heads a Sun Jihai cross back to Price inside his own box.

45

There are going to be five minutes of added time.

42

It has been a pretty entertaining first half and you would not bet against a goal for either side before the break.

39

Claude Davis defends brilliantly now as Ireland looks to turn home an Etuhu cross but the big defender intervenes to put it behind for a corner.

37

Fantastic play from Rob Earnshaw who twists and turns on the edge of the box before unleashing a shot that beats Hart but crashes back off the post.

35

Darius Vassell is now down himself after a clash of heads with Dean Leacock.

32

Price is up and about although he looks like a boxer after 12 rounds which is a good sign and his long clearance eventually finds Earnshaw who tries the acrobatics and it flashes just over.

30

Lewis Price is down after the collision with Vassell there and he is being taped up and this is a worry for Paul Jewell.

27

And Vassell yet again is in but wastes the chance as he latches onto Dunne's long ball but his touch is poor and Derby clear.

26

Darius Vassell whould have at least two goals already as he wastes a glorious chance by nodding Petrov's pinpoint cross straight at Price from 6 yards.

24

Martin Petrov appears to have lashed out at Craig Fagan off the ball and referee Bennett wasn't too far away but he definitely seems to have missed it.

23

Derby are pressing well but they don't have the creative edge needed to break through and create a real chance, perhaps Giles Barnes will provide that later on as a substitute.

20

Kenny Miller musters Derby's first shot on goal with a smart swivelling volley from the edge of the box but it is straight down the throat of Joe Hart.

18

Derby are enjoying the possession but everytime City get the ball they look like creating something and that is a concern for the home fans.

15

However, Derby are playing quite a dangerous game by using a high-line but Petrov's pace gets him in behind and he finds Vassell who wastes another glorious chance after poor control.

12

Robbie Savage is seeing plenty of the ball as Derby make a pretty decent start to the game and despite the Vassell chance they are arguably on top and now they want a penalty - but the referee is not impressed.

10

Derby are trying to be quite direct in their style and use the pace and power of Earnshaw and Miller to trouble a Micah Richards-less City defence.

7

It has been a really bright start here from both sides and Corluka now has a great chance as he rises to meet Martin Petrov's corner but he heads over.

4

What a let off for the Rams! Claude Davis makes a howler and Vassell is in behind this time but he screws his guilt-edged chance wide of the post.

3

Rob Earnshaw has an early goal disallowed as he escapes in behind and despite a good finish he was a fraction offside.

2

Darius Vassell looks to get in behind the defence early on but Ireland's pass is overhit and it runs out for a corner.

Kickoff
 

Steve Bennett is tonight's match official and he gets us underway at a packed Pride Park.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Man City: Hart, Jihai, Dunne, Corluka, Ball, Etuhu, Ireland, Gelson, Petrov, Vassell, Sturridge

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Derby: Price, Leacock, Moore, Davis, Edworthy, Fagan, Savage, Ghaly, Pearson, Earnshaw, Miller

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Meanwhile Manchester City were dealt a rough hand by some balloons at Bramall Lane and will certainly be hoping that balloons will be in short supply in the East Midlands.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Derby were thrashed at the weekend by Championship Preston in the FA Cup but Paul Jewell rings the changes and will expect more from his side this evening.

Awaiting Kickoff
 

Welcome to Pride Park as Derby County attempt to put just that back into their fans with a markedly improved performance against Sven Goran-Eriksson's Manchester City.