Manchester City survived a late scare from Championship side Bristol City to book their place in the final of the EFL Cup this evening.
The Premier League leaders left it late to win the first leg 2-1, but they looked to have wrapped the tie up within 50 minutes of the second leg at Ashton Gate courtesy of goals from Leroy Sane and Sergio Aguero.
However, Marlon Pack pulled one back for the hosts before Aden Flint reduced the aggregate deficit to only one goal in the 94th minute.
It was Man City who got the all-important fifth goal of the evening, though, with Kevin De Bruyne immediately responded to seal a 3-2 win on the night and a 5-3 aggregate triumph.
Find out how all of the action unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates below.
This contest looks like a mismatch on paper, but it was far from that in the first leg a fortnight ago and Championship side Bristol City will have gained belief from their performance in that narrow defeat. Man City are still the dominant force in English football, though, so it would take a monumental upset for them to miss out on a place in the final this evening.
We will have a closer look at both clubs in a short while, but first let's check out the team news from the West Country...
Guardiola suggested that he might make changes for this match, but with an FA Cup tie with Cardiff City next up at the weekend he can perhaps afford to prioritise this match more than he would do if it was a Premier League game coming up.
Bernardo Silva is the man to come in for Sterling, but aside from those two changes it is near enough a full-strength lineup of those available for Man City. There are five changes from the first leg alone, with Danilo, Mangala, Toure, Gundogan and Sterling missing out.
Chances to rest Aguero have been few and far between in recent weeks due to the injury to Gabriel Jesus, but his inclusion suggests that Guardiola is not willing to take any chances tonight. With De Bruyne, David Silva and Leroy Sane also included, it is a formidable strike force for the visitors tonight.
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Notably there is the inclusion of Vincent Kompany on the bench as he continues his latest comeback from a calf injury, but Guardiola has stuck with what - at least in the absence of Mendy and Delph - looks to be his first-choice back four at the moment.
Both were forced off during the draw with Derby County on Friday night - Fielding with a groin injury and Baker with an ankle problem - and neither have recovered in time to start this match. Baker is included amongst the subs, though.
According to the official team sheet released by Bristol City, Korey Smith - the hero against Manchester United with his late winner here 34 days ago - will fill in at right-back with Wright moving into the middle to cover for Baker.
Bobby Reid will lead the line and been Bristol's main goal threat having scored against Man City at the Etihad two weeks ago, winning and tucking home the penalty which gave his side the lead just before half time.
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Nine of these players featured against Man City in the first leg and also in the famous win over Manchester United here last month, so at the very least they will know what to expect tonight.
Everything, from the formbook to the football pyramid and experience between the players and between the clubs suggests a Man City win tonight, but that was also the case against Manchester United last month so Bristol City will be full of belief.
It has been a whopping 109 years since Bristol City last reached the final of a major competition - doing so in the 1909 FA Cup - so the achievement of them doing so tonight could not be overstated.
Watford, Stoke City and Crystal Palace have also fallen at the hands of Lee Johnson's giant killers, and the only other lower-league team to knock out so many top-flight clubs in this competition were Sheffield Wednesday in 1990-91. The Owls went on to lift the trophy that year, becoming the last lower-league team to do so.
No second-tier team, has reached the final of this competition since Cardiff City in 2011-12, when they were beaten on penalties by Liverpool in the final, while a Championship side has not overturned a first-leg semi-final deficit against Premier League opposition since Birmingham City did it to Ipswich Town in 2000-01. The Blues also went on to lose to Liverpool in the final on that occasion.
Lee Johnson's side have perhaps taken their eye off the ball elsewhere to focus on this semi-final as they come into tonight's match winless in their last six games across all competitions. Draw or defeat tonight would make it seven on the bounce for the first time since March 2017.
Despite such poor form - one win from the last 12 on offer in league games - Bristol City remain in the Championship playoff places, although they are now only three points clear of seventh while falling five adrift of the automatic promotion places.
That said, The Robins have been a different animal at home in the EFL Cup this season, winning all four such games while scoring 13 goals and conceding just two in the process.
Of their last seven away games across all competitions Man City have won three, drawn two and lost two inside normal time, which is by no means a terrible record but is certainly a dip from their run of 10 consecutive away wins to start the season.
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Their last two away games have yielded only one point too - and it could have been worse had Crystal Palace scored a late penalty in their 0-0 draw. The most recent away game was, of course, their thrilling 4-3 defeat at the hands of Liverpool last weekend.
Away from home Guardiola's side still boast by far the best record in the Premier League, and in the EFL Cup alone they have won nine and lost just two of their last 12 outings on the road. That includes victories over two Premier League teams - West Brom and Leicester - in this season's competition too.
Both of those defeats have come away from home, incidentally, but Man City have answered any questions asked of them on both occasions - most recently with the 3-1 win over Newcastle following their first domestic defeat of the season at the hands of Liverpool earlier this month.
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It seems strange to say for a team which has won all four of their EFL Cup games so far this term, but those victories have not been in the style we have come to expect from the free-scoring Man City this season.
Indeed, they needed a late goal to beat West Brom first up, penalties to get past Wolves and Leicester in the next two rounds and then a stoppage-time winner against Bristol City. Hope, perhaps, for Bristol that they take their eye off the ball a little more in this competition.
city have a good recent record in this competition too, winning it four times overall including twice in the last four years - in 2014 and 2016.
The Citizens have also won 12 and lost none of their last 14 League Cup matches against second-tier opposition when they themselves have been in the top flight, stretching back to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest in December 1993.
Bristol City gave a really good account of themselves a fortnight ago, but they were near their best then while Man City were average, and Guardiola's side still managed to win. They have given themselves a fighting chance for this second leg, but it is hard to back against a Man City win tonight.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Bristol City 1-3 Man City
Before the first leg of this tie two weeks ago the two teams had not met since Manchester City's pre-investment days, when Emile Mpenza and Rolando Bianchi scored the goals in a 2-1 victory at Ashton Gate in the second round of this competition.
Bristol City have won just once in their last eight meetings across all competitions too, drawing twice and losing five times during that spell.
It is worth noting that, while VAR will be used in that match and the final, it will not be in place tonight as only Premier League grounds have the facilities to implement it at the moment and it was deemed unfair to have had the system in place for only one of the legs of this tie.
BRISTOL CITY STARTING XI: Steele; Smith, Flint, Wright, Magnusson; Brownhill, Pack, Walsh, Bryan; Paterson; Reid
MAN CITY STARTING XI: Bravo; Walker, Stones, Otamendi, Zinchenko; Fernandinho, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Silva, Sane; Aguero
Magnusson is the man at fault as he rejects the chance to clear the ball out for a throw-in when inside his own box. Bernardo closes him down and wins the ball on the byline, squeezing it back to Sane who hits a firm first-time drive in via the foot of a despairing Flint.
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The visitors have dominated possession and territory so far, but clear chances were difficult to come by despite that until a rare defensive lapse opened the door for them to take the lead.
Magnusson could have put the ball into the stands when inside his own area, but he instead tried to shepherd it behind for a goal kick. Bernardo prevented that and beat the defender for strength to smuggle it back to Sane, who fired the finish in via the foot of Flint.
The best of those saw him parry a low Silva strike away from goal and Aguero, who was following in for any scraps. The likes of Silva, Aguero, Zinchenko, De Bruyne and Fernandinho have all had sights of goal themselves without hitting the target, so it hasn't been the best of attacking performances for the visitors despite their lead.
The hosts have only had one shot so far - a tame backward header from Flint which was plucked out of the air by Bravo - but they need two goals without reply just to force extra time now. It could be time to throw caution to the wind, as dangerous as that is against this Man City side.
Possession: 23%-77%
Shots: 1-15
On target: 1-3
Corners: 0-6
Fouls: 3-6
Sane gives the ball to De Bruyne before being blocked off when trying to join the attack, but De Bruyne simply then turns his focus to Aguero, who has peeled away from his marker. De Bruyne picks him out with a pass and Aguero then takes a touch before firing it into the bottom far corner.
14 – Kevin de Bruyne has provided 14 assists for Manchester City in all competitions this season; more than any other player in the Premier League. Distributor.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 23, 2018
It is sloppy defending from the visitors as the ball is hoisted high into the box, with Marlon Pack the only man to attack it with any real intent. It is a really good header from the midfielder too, planting it past Bravo and into the corner.
GOAL: #BristolCity 1-2 Manchester City, Pack 64. #BRCvMCY pic.twitter.com/D3QZOGHCkB
— Bristol City FC (@bcfctweets) January 23, 2018
A ball towards the right channel is nodded back across goal by Reid, where Flint has done well to stay onside and tap the ball home. One more will send us to extra time!
The ball breaks to Sane on the left side and with Bristol City in all-out-attack mode it is simple for him to slide the ball in for De Bruyne, who is left with an easy finish.
It looked as though Manchester City were cruising towards the EFL Cup final, but just as they did against Manchester United, Bristol City had some late drama up their sleeve.
Aden Flint's goal in the 94th minute left the hosts needing just one more to force extra time in the final minute of stoppage time, but that goal went in Manchester City instead, with De Bruyne killing off their hope once and for all at the death.
Pack responded just past the hour mark with a fine header which halved the deficit on the night, but that looked like being a mere consolation until the drama of stoppage time gave Man City a real scare.
I will leave you with our match report for tonight's five-goal contest, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps too. We will also have full coverage of tomorrow's semi-final on site, so be sure to check back in for that from 7pm.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!