Manchester City recorded an 11th consecutive home Premier League win with a 3-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion at the Etihad Stadium this evening.
Fernandinho put the Citizens in front on 19 minutes when he poked the ball through Ben Foster after running onto a perfectly-weighted Kevin De Bruyne through-ball.
The Belgian doubled City's advantage on 68 minutes when he started and finished a slick City counter-attack, converting from Raheem Sterling's cutback.
Sterling was the provider again one minute from time when he dribbled past several Albion defenders and picked out Sergio Aguero to lift the ball over Ben Foster.
West Brom did not register a shot on target until the 88th minute and remain bottom of the table, while Pep Guardiola's side are 15 points clear at the top.
Relive how the action unfolded in Manchester with our minute-by-minute updates below.
7.00pmGood evening everyone! Manchester City aren't going to get Riyad Mahrez from Leicester City, but they could still come away from deadline day with three points as West Bromwich Albion visit the Etihad Stadium in a top-versus-bottom Premier League clash. Team news coming up...
7.02pmMAN CITY: Ederson; Walker, Laporte, Otamendi, Zinchenko; Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Sterling, Aguero
Subs: Bravo, Danilo, Kompany, Gundogan, Adarabioyo, Yaya Toure, Diaz
Subs: Bravo, Danilo, Kompany, Gundogan, Adarabioyo, Yaya Toure, Diaz
7.04pmWEST BROM: Foster; Dawson, Hegazi, McAuley, Nyom; Krychowiak, Field, Yacob; McClean, Rodriguez, Rondon
Subs: Myhill, Barry, Brunt, Harper, Burke, Phillips, Sturridge
Subs: Myhill, Barry, Brunt, Harper, Burke, Phillips, Sturridge
7.06pmMahrez may have alluded them - although there is still a few hours for that to change - but City did still break their transfer record this month for Aymeric Laporte, and the former Athletic Bilbao defender goes straight into the starting lineup less than 48 hours after his arrival.
7.08pmJohn Stones is missing for the Citizens, as are Fabian Delph and Leroy Sane who suffered ankle ligament damage in Sunday's FA Cup win over Cardiff City courtesy of a rather ugly tackle from Joe Bennett. That means starts for Bernardo Silva and Alexander Zinchenko, as a makeshift left-back.
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7.10pmDavid Silva, who has been dealing with some family issues off the pitch, and goalkeeper Ederson were given the weekend off but are back in the XI tonight, as is Sergio Aguero who started from the bench in Wales. No sign of Eliaquim Mangala with the defender expected to join Everton before the deadline.
7.12pmLooking at the City bench, it is clear to see why they wanted Mahrez. However lavish their spending might have been, the injuries to Sane and Gabriel Jesus have exposed a lack of attacking depth in Guardiola's squad, but I'm sure another £400m in the summer will sort that out no problem.
7.14pmWest Brom boss Alan Pardew resists the temptation to start new signing Daniel Sturridge at the club where he began his Premier League career, instead bringing in Salomon Rondon to partner the in-form Jay Rodriguez, who has five goals in his last six matches in all competitions.
7.16pmTwo of those goals came against Liverpool but Albion's triumph at Anfield did not come without a cost, with Kieran Gibbs, Jonny Evans and Hal Robson-Kanu all picking up injuries which rule them out tonight.
7.18pmPardew makes six changes in total from that FA Cup encounter, with Jake Livermore, Chris Brunt and Gareth Barry joining the three injury casualties in dropping out. Ahmed Hegazi, Gareth McAuley, James McClean, Claudio Yacob and Sam Field are all recalled as Albion go with fresh legs.
7.20pmThis is a big night for young midfielder Sam Field. The 19-year-old has made 10 league starts for the Baggies previously, but will not have had any bigger test than De Bruyne and Silva up against him.
7.22pmAs well as Sturridge, West Brom strengthened their squad with the acquisition of Ali Gabr from Zamalek, initially on loan with a view to a permanent deal in the summer. The Egyptian defender is not in first-team contention yet though and needs a couple of weeks to get up to match sharpness.
7.24pmGuardiola clearly thinks Laporte is ready though! Straight into the team for the new £57m man.
Welcome to your new home, @Laporte! pic.twitter.com/Y3s8ybG8R2
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 31, 2018
7.26pmThis is what Guardiola had to say about his new toy in his press conference this week: "We needed a central defender in the summertime but because we have a lot of games we decided to bring him right now, and in summertime our window will be easier because it will be already done.
"The Premier League is special in many senses but he's intelligent, he will read the situation."
7.28pmWith City holding a 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League going into this round of fixtures, there will not be much pressure on Laporte to hit the ground running. He is joining a yeam which has equalled the best record of any club after 24 matches of an English top-flight season.
Tottenham also won 21 and lost just one of their first 24 games in 1960-61. They won their 25th fixture, so the onus is on City this evening.
7.30pmSTAT: Guardiola's side have blown their rivals away since the first kick of the system, and done it in style. They have scored 70 league goals this season, which is the most by a team at this stage of a top-flight campaign in 55 years.
7.32pmAlthough Liverpool conquered them at Anfield a fortnight ago, the Citizens remain unbeaten in the league at home this season, winning 11 in a row since a draw against Everton back in August.
7.34pmCity may be missing Jesus and Sane, but it might not matter tonight as West Brom have been at the mercy of Sergio Aguero in recent years. The Argentine has scored seven goals against Albion.
7.36pmHEAD TO HEAD: Considering that Aguero record, it is little surprise that Man City have won 12 league games in a row against West Brom since a goalless away draw on Boxing Day 2011.
7.38pmIn fact, the Baggies have gone 16 top-flight games without a win against the Citizens, losing all but one which is a truly terrible record. They last beat City in December 2008 at The Hawthorns thanks to a 90th-minute winner from Roman Bednar.
7.40pmSome interesting late deadline-day news involving West Brom, with reports emerging that they have rejected a last-ditch approach from Arsenal for captain Jonny Evans. The capture of Sturridge on loan means that the Baggies no longer need to cash in on the defender to fund a move for a striker.
7.42pmPardew caused a bit of a stir when he put Sturridge in the same category as prolific Tottenham forward Harry Kane this week.
BBC Sport quotes him as saying: "You would have to put him in the same category as Harry Kane. Harry has had a great spell in terms of fitness and is at the top of his game. That's understandable that he is probably ahead of Daniel.
"But Daniel has the potential, particularly against teams where you need to break them down; he has some individual flair that not many players can match."
7.44pmSturridge has been brought in to increase West Brom's firepower, with the Baggies the third lowest scorers in the Premier League this season with 19 from 24 games. That goes a long way to explaining why they have only won once in their last 22 Premier League games, drawing 11 and losing 10.
7.46pmHowever, Albion are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions and should be encouraged following their success at Anfield last weekend. Can that momentum help the Baggies cause another shock and end an 11-game top-flight winless away run which stretches back to August.
7.48pmSTAT: Gareth Barry is the Premier League's all-time leading appearance maker, and his next outing will see him become the first player to the 650 mark. He made 132 of those for Manchester City between 2009-2013.
7.50pmTen minutes until kickoff here at the Etihad Stadium. There are seven Premier League fixtures tonight and Sports Mole also has live coverage of Tottenham vs. Manchester United and Chelsea vs. Bournemouth.
7.52pmCan tonight be fourth club lucky for Alan Pardew? He is winless in all seven Premier League away fixtures as a manager against Man City, from his time at West Ham, Newcastle and Crystal Palace.
7.54pmONE TO WATCH: Man City have too many outstanding players to single out one, but there is a danger man within the West Brom ranks too in the shape of Rodriguez. The 28-year-old is showing signs of his best Southampton form and scored in the reverse fixture at The Hawthorns in October.
7.56pmAlbion fans will have to wait for Sturridge's debut, but when he does come on he will wear the same number that he did at Liverpool. I'm getting David Brent: Life on the Road flashbacks. "Sturridge, let him play."
📷 #DS15
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) January 31, 2018
A debut tonight?#MCIWBA #COYB #WBA pic.twitter.com/49lH9zoCoa
7.58pmPREDICTION: I anticipate another City walkover today and them to stroll to a 3-0 win.
1 minKICKOFF: The action is underway at the Etihad, and also at Wembley where remarkably there has already been a goal with Christian Eriksen giving Tottenham a 1-0 lead over Manchester United inside 12 seconds!
3 minNo goal yet for City here but they have started on the front foot. Sterling got to the left byline and pulled a weak cross back which would have reached Aguero had Ben Foster not intercepted at his near post. A bit more heat on that cross and the Argentine poacher would have had an easy tap-in.
5 minLaporte has earned his first round of applause from the Etihad faithful with a casual stroll out from the back and 60-yard cross field pass right onto the chest of Bernardo. That will settle any nerves that the Frenchman may have had, although so composed he looks I doubt that to be the case.
7 minBernardo checks back onto his left foot and whips in a cross as he loves to do. De Bruyne had made a late run into the box but Foster was off his line to punch clear. The West Brom goalkeeper has had to be alert in the early stages, and something tells me that isn't going to change soon.
8 minPENALTY APPEAL! City, or their fans at least, feel that they should have a penalty after David Silva is clipped by Dawson on his way into the box. Tonight's referee, Robert Madley, waves away the appeals and Silva seems to be understanding of his explanation.
10 minNothing yet from West Brom from an attacking perspective. Rondon and Rodriguez are having to do a lot of defensive work though, with the latter staying close to Fernandinho whenever possible, stopping the Brazilian from getting the space from which he can start City attacks.
12 minUkrainian youngster Zinchenko is once again filling in at left-back for City tonight, with both Delph and Benjamin Mendy sidelined. West Brom have Sam Field over on the right, and he is a central player by trade. Flying winger Oliver Burke would love a run at Zinchenko if called upon from the bench.
14 minSAVE! De Bruyne picks up possession from Walker on the right, and it appears as though he tries to bend his foot round a cross, like only he can, only to not get enough curl on the ball and force Foster into a scrambling save at his near post. I don't think that was deliberate, but De Bruyne is that good that you would believe him if he told you it was.
16 minPardew will be slightly encouraged to see the first signs of link-up between Rondon and Rodriguez. The two forwards combined nicely down the right channel before Fernandinho snuffed out the danger.
18 minBernardo runs onto a through-ball from De Bruyne and shows good strength to engineer a cross from the byline despite being well marshalled by McAuley. Hegazi seems a bit surprised that he was forced into defending from that position but composes himself to clear the ball before Aguero can pounce.
19 minGOAL! MAN CITY 1-0 WEST BROM (FERNANDINHO)
19 minI spoke about Fernandinho starting attacks earlier, well he has just finished one here to put City ahead. The Brazilian makes an excellent run from midfield and De Bruyne finds him with an exquisite pass. The finish is a bit of an ugly poke as Foster rushes off his line, but the pass was a thing of beauty.
© SilverHub
21 minWest Brom's game-plan doesn't really change with that goal. They will be delighted to snatch a draw from this game so will continue to try to restrain City and then come at them in the last 20 minutes. Their next checkpoint should be to get to half time without conceding again, but that's easier said than done.
23 minMcAuley's casual pass on the halfway line is intercepted by Silva and City cut West Brom apart with an electric counter. Sterling's ball across the six-yard box is just out of Aguero's reach.
26 minCity are not just a skilful team, but a brave and strong one too. Three of their players could have gone down for fouls during this latest passage of play around the West Brom box, but they stay on their feet and it nearly leads to an opening when Bernardo's pass is cut out by Hegazi.
28 minCHANCE! Aguero comes deep and beautifully turns the ball around the corner first time for De Bruyne. The Belgian is one-on-one with Foster but the finish is lacking conviction and Foster saves with his legs.
30 minLATEST: It should probably be 2-0 here, and that is the score at Wembley where a Phil Jones own goal has given Spurs daylight against Manchester United. City could be 15 points clear come close of play.
31 minWOODWORK! De Bruyne's ferocious 20-yard drive flicks the top of the crossbar on its way over, with the problems again emanating from the City left where Sterling is causing all sorts of problems.
32 minYELLOW: David Silva catches Yacob with a late tackle and becomes the first player to enter Bobby Madley's book this evening. Fernandinho had been floored with a similar tackle a couple of minutes ago but has shaken off his knock after treatment and will solider on in midfield.
34 minSUBSTITUTION: Fernandinho may be okay, but Grzegorz Krychowiak is not and he is an early withdrawal for Albion tonight. Gareth Barry is his replacement, his 650th Premier League appearance, and he gets a warm round of applause from the fans of his former club.
36 minSAVE! De Bruyne could have had a hat-trick in the last 10 minutes, and this time he is denied by a good reflex save from Foster. Yacob gives the ball away and City spring forward, with Sterling pulling the ball back for the Belgian to try to place a side-footed shot home from 18 yards.
38 minGood defending there from Otamendi, who stretched out a foot to, fairly, take the ball off Rondon's chest before the striker could bring it down and spread it out right where West Brom had a numbers advantage. The Man City defender has competed very well with the physical Venezuelan so far.
40 minSUBSTITUTION: David Silva had to leave the pitch a couple of minutes ago to get some strapping on his lower back, and young Field has seen that as a target and barged into the Spaniard to leave him hobbling again. Guardiola makes the substitution this time, replacing Silva with Ilkay Gundogan.
42 minThis time it is Laporte who shows his strength to knock over Rondon and bring the ball out of defence for City. The new signing has had a very gentle introduction to Premier League life - he must think it is easy! Then again, City have been making it look that way all season.
44 minZinchenko hangs a cross up to the back post where Bernardo was never going to compete with Nyom, who heads away.
45+1 minThere will be three minutes of added time at the end of this first half. If West Brom can survive with this 1-0 deficit intact, both managers will probably be pretty pleased come the break.
45+3 minHALF TIME: MAN CITY 1-0 WEST BROM
8.52pmBobby Madley's whistle brings to an end the type of half that is becoming a blueprint of how to play at the Etihad Stadium. West Brom have sat everybody behind the ball and invited City to break them down, and the hosts have obliged with De Bruyne's sublime assist for Fernandinho on 19 minutes.
8.54pmPep Guardiola will be frustrated that they have not put Albion out of sight already. De Bruyne could have had a hat-trick himself but has twice been denied by Ben Foster, and also struck the crossbar.
8.56pmThe Baggies have not so much as made Emerson sweat in that opening 45 minutes, failing to register a single shot on goal. They had only 24% possession and displayed no method of getting forward. Pardew switched to 4-5-1 by the end of the half but it made absolutely no difference.
8.58pmGuardiola need not have had any concerns about throwing Aymeric Laporte in for his Premier League debut, less than 48 hours in England. The Frenchman has done the very little he has had to do well, but may be asked more questions in the second half if WBA bring on their own January signing.
9.00pmUPDATE: Check out our live results section for all of tonight's latest scores. A couple that will stand out are Bournemouth leading 1-0 at Chelsea and Spurs beating Man United 2-0 at half time.
9.02pmBoth managers were forced into first-half changes due to injury. Guardiola's removal of David Silva looked like a precaution over a back injury, but Pardew may be more concerned over Grzegorz Krychowiak, who has joined the three casualties from the Liverpool victory in the treatment room.
46 minKICKOFF: The second half gets underway with neither manager making further alterations at the interval...
47 minMISS! City should have extended their lead within two minutes of the restart, with City working the ball brilliantly over to Sterling on the left, and the winger cuts inside only to bend the ball wide of the post from 10 yards out. Everything but the finish there from Sterling.
49 minLATEST: Wow, isn't this an eye-catching scoreline coming from Stamford Bridge: Chelsea 0-3 Bournemouth! Olivier Giroud is an excellent deadline day signing for the Blues but it seems the problems run much deeper than the lack of striking depth for Antonio Conte.
51 minIt has been a leisurely start to the second half from the Citizens. West Brom continue to offer no attacking threat but seem content to keep their hosts to a one-goal lead for the time being.
52 minCHANCE! Walker's cross is behind Aguero, but the Argentine improvises with a back-heel which catches out Foster and the Albion goalkeeper only just gets a hand to it while rushing off his line.
54 minSterling is denied a free header at the back post as Dawson flicks a Bernardo cross clear.
55 minSUBSTITUTION: Sam Field makes way for Matt Phillips which will hopefully see Albion show more attacking intent. Pardew is also in deep discussions with Sturridge over on the Baggies bench.
57 minLaporte has not had much of an opportunity to showcase his defensive capabilities tonight, but what he has displayed is that he has a wonderful cross field pass in his locker. The next Michael Dawson?
59 minAguero gets away from a couple of Albion bodies in the final third but runs into Hegazi who stands tall with his tackle. Nearly an hour into this game and Wesy Brom are still in it, despite never having been in it.
61 minKyle Walker is the latest City player to require treatment, and it appears serious enough to get Danilo off the bench for a rigorous warm-up. The England full-back was caught on the foot by Nyom while attempting a cross.
63 minSterling is crowded out at the back post and tries a back-heel setup for Bernardo, but the Albion defence get across well to thwart that danger. City don't look that likely to add a second at the moment.
65 minSAVE! Nyom allows Bernardo to cut back onto his left foot and he tries to bend a shot into the top corner, but Foster makes his best save of the match so far to claw the ball away.
67 minSHOT! Left-back Zinchenko picks the ball up in the left channel - that is how fluid this City system is - and lines up a shot from range which has plenty of power but whistles past the post.
68 minGOAL! MAN CITY 2-0 WEST BROM (KEVIN DE BRUYNE)
68 minThe first time that Albion commit lots of bodies forward, City punish them with a ruthless counter-attack. McClean tries to end it before it starts with a filthy tackle on De Bruyne, but he stays on his feet and shifts the ball wide to Sterling, before continuing his run to convert the return pass into an empty net.
70 minYELLOW! Excellent refereeing from Bobby Madley, who awarded the goal and then immediately called back McClean to show him a yellow card. Guardiola was furious with the challenge, in the aftermath of a similarly dirty challenge which has left Leroy Sane on crutches.
72 minThat goal will probably wrap up the points for City. The game was just approaching a time when Pardew may have taken the handbrake off and brought on Sturridge, but a two-goal deficit is probably too big to make up now. The England striker might still get a run out before the end though.
74 minAnother thing to mention which happened in the moments following the goal. Nearly straight from the restart - De Bruyne tried to lob Foster from 50 yards out and the West Brom goalkeeper was forced to tip the audacious shot over his own crossbar. It was very close to catching him out!
75 minYELLOW: Rondon is shown a yellow card for a bit of petulance in a challenge with Otamendi. It has been a highly frustrating night for the striker so little surprise to see him boil over slightly there.
77 minSUBSTITUTION: The marvellous De Bruyne is spared the final 12 minutes as Brahim Diaz gets a run out. The travelling Albion fans enduring a miserable night at least get a sight of new signing Sturridge as he replaces Rondon. Boos from the City contingent greet him. Football fans don't forget.
79 minCLOSE! A cross comes all the way through to Walker beyond the back post, and the defender nearly does brilliantly to steer the ball underneath the bar with a volley which would have been very difficult to control.
81 minCity now have a youthful left side of Zinchenko and, ahead of him, Diaz, so there is still room for developing young talent at the Etihad despite the millions spent on shiny new signings.
83 minSturridge and Phillips combine nicely to advance into the Man City box, and the latter earns City their first corner of the game. Ederson comes off his line to claim and starts a City counter from which Diaz forces a good save out of Foster, and Bernardo shoots the follow-up into the side-netting.
85 minYELLOW! Diaz is the latest City player to fall victim of a horrible tackle as Phillips slides in high on the substitute, with his only saving grace that he took the ball before completely wiping out the man.
87 minDiaz is thankfully back on his feet, as is Guardiola chewing the fourth official's ear off over the reckless and cynical nature of some of these West Brom tackles. Meanwhile, from a City corner the ball nearly falls to Laporte but Dawson hooks the ball clear in the six-yard box.
88 minCHANCE! West Brom finally have an opportunity of note as Sturridge beats the offside trap to run clear on goal. Ederson races off his line to force the striker into action, and when his initial shot comes back off the Brazilian, the new Albion signing strikes the rebound into the side-netting.
89 minGOAL! MAN CITY 3-0 WEST BROM (SERGIO AGUERO)
89 minAguero gives this scoreline the gulf that City deserve with a late third, but it is all about Sterling who spins away from Barry on the halfway line and runs at pace to the edge of the box. He times the pass perfectly to Aguero, and he keeps his composure whether Sturridge didn't to lift the ball over Foster.
90+1 minSAVE! In the first of FOUR minutes of stoppage time, West Brom have another opening as Phillips breaks into the area and shoots low, but Ederson is alert to make a decent save with his legs.
90+3 minCLOSE! The confident Diaz goes with inches of adding a spectacular fourth as his chip lands on the roof of Foster's net.
90+4 minFULL TIME: MAN CITY 3-0 WEST BROM
10.02pmAs perfectly predicted, if you don't mind me saying, City stroll to another routine home win, and are now 15 points clear following Man United's defeat at Spurs tonight. It is another step closer to an inevitable Premier League title, but Albion have a serious fight to even be in the division next season.
10.05pmThat's it from the Etihad tonight, although you can read our report on another De Bruyne masterclass here. It has been a pretty crazy night of Premier League action, and you can catch up with all of the results in our live scores section. We'll be back with more commentaries at the weekend. Until then, goodbye.
