Good evening and welcome to LIVE text commentary of tonight's Europa League action, where Manchester City welcome Red Bull Salzburg to Eastlands in Group A.

BALOTELLI SCORES! COOL FINISH! A volley on his left foot turned in after Zabaleta's cross. It's a great finish and nothing more than City deserve.

Lech Poznan, by the way, have taken the lead at home to Juventus. That means, if the scores stay the same, that a draw tongiht would carry Manchester City through to the last 32.

The snow is getting heaavier, but it's not settling - just a bitterly cold evening as City pile on the pressure.

BALOTELLI! Good save from Tremmel after a terrific pass from Vieira which splits the Salzburg defence - Balotelli opts to shoot, but Jo was unmarked to his left and should have had the chance to tuck it away.

Jo has a chance to get on the end of a very tasty through ball but appears to be looking for the penalty instead - a waste - he ends up with neither a chance to shoot nor a spot kick.

City win a free kick after Jantscher tackles Boateng from behind - the snow falling lightly in Manchester.

Zabaleta wants a penalty... but the referee from Czech Republic Libor Kovarik lets play carry on - replays show he was outside the area anyhow, but might have deserved a free kick.

Jantscher tries a shot from all of thirty yards out - no chance from that distance, and it's not on target.

Red Bull Salzburg have won their last three games in Austria, but this already looks like a step up in class.

Lescott and Balotelli piling away at the near post but they cannot find a way around Tremmel! A good chance for the home side and it's all Manchester City so far.

Fantastic cross from Wright-Phillips to the far post - no finish forthcoming, but he gets the second prize of a corner.

Balotelli has plenty about him, but he doesn't make the most of that one - he's got three goals in the competition this year though.

Zabaleta has a throw on the left, it looks aimless but Balotelli makes it his... and fires a shot narrowly over the bar from just outside the area.

Salzburg have a little look inside the City half for the first time but Hinteregger is sent back byt a thumping Boateng clearance.

Jo very nearly in the right place at the right time as a Wright-Phillips cross comes in from the right. City have a fairly attacking look to them tonight, and they have started brightly.

A powerful run from Balotelli ends with the Manchester City man felled 25 yards out on the left hand side. Milner stands over this one.

City start us off!

It's decidedly cold in Manchester - it's been snowy in northern England but that hasn't stopped this one from going ahead with a decent turnoutn (though we are by no means at capacity). We're moments away from the kick-off.

City are on the brink of qualification and a win tonight would do very nicely indeed.

TEAMS! Man City: Given, Boateng, Toure, Lescott, Zabaleta, Wright-Phillips, Vieira, Milner, Adam Johnson, Balotelli, Jo /// SV Red Bull Salzburg: Tremmel, Schiemer, Sekagya, Afolabi, Hinteregger, Mendes Da Silva, Hierlander, Leitgeb, Cziommer, Jantscher, Boghossian