Sergio Aguero spins and buries the ball from a half-cleared corner but no! He's flagged offside.

Excellent decision too, although Jon Moss is going to check with VAR.

Image source, Reuters

Henry: Who is ready for Kovacic on for Barkley at 60'? Anticipation is palpable.

The crowd have perked up after that bit of end-to-end football. The Kovacic-Barkley switch is now only minutes away.

Manchester City put two long diagonal passes out of play but Pep applauds it anyway. he wants the play switched quicker.

Chelsea then free Eden Hazard into space for the first time but he's well tackled. Light at the end of the tunnel?

Jermaine Jenas
Former England and Tottenham midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

City are doing well to keep a really high line but it feels to me that Chelsea are only going to win this through a set-piece at the moment.

It's not pretty from Chelsea but if they win this, nobody will care. To do so they must try and make more of their set-pieces.

Image source, PA

The game is a bit more stretched, Manchester City seem to be playing a bit more direct, at more tempo as well. That could be the key to shattering this Chelsea wall.

There was no extra-time during the Carabao Cup this season, the games went straight to penalties. An excellent idea if you ask me.

But we WILL have extra-time today.

Kevin de Bruyne flashes in a brilliant cross from the right, cross of the game, but Sergio Aguero can't make it on the end of it.

Image source, Getty Images

Paul: Finals are there to be won but I'd rather my team win or lose it by having a go and actually trying win rather than sit back and risk losing whilst playing negatively anyway. City will score here at some point then Chelsea will look stupid anyway.

Chelsea with a free-kick straight away, there's nobody to hit though and it goes out of play for a goal kick. Pattern set for the half?

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Wembley

"Let's watch the highlights from the first half on the big screen" says Wembley's PA announcer.

There's 15 seconds we won't get back.

Away we go!

Image source, PA

The two sides of the coin...

Vincent Kompany is coming on at half time for Manchester City. Target man?

He replaces Aymeric Laporte, so I guess not.

Chris Sutton
Ex-Chelsea striker on BBC Radio 5 live

It is Sarri-bore, not Sarri-ball. I actually think that what is Sarri supposed to do? Go toe-to-toe and get whalloped 6-0 again?

People say he only has one way of playing but here is another way.

Image source, Reuters

Finals are there to be won, Adnan. I can't argue with that. Chelsea had better win then, eh?

Jermaine Jenas
Former England and Tottenham midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

Maurizio Sarri has to be delighted with that. He'll understand he has to find a way to get more support to Hazard - with Willian and Pedro perhaps taking more risks.

More pressure will be heaped onto the Chelsea defence, and City usually find a way through in the end. That will be the worry now for Sarri.

But it's not about doing it in the most beautiful way. it's about walking up thos estairs and lifting a trophy. And I'm glad Sarri has shown he can do this. He has another way, he's a winner and has a way to frustrate the best teams in Europe.

Having said that, the balance is a bit too far on the defensive side right now.

HP: People criticise Chelsea when they attack recklessly and lose 6-0 but when they try and pragmatically defend and choose when to attack the get criticised as well.

David: Worst first half in a final since 2007 FA Cup Final snoozefest.

The average positions of where players touched the ball in that first half tell a story.

Image source, BBC Sport

'Cagey', 'tactical battle', 'game of chess.'

Any other euphemisms for a boring game?