It's everything that you would expect from Manchester City v Liverpool so far. Frantic, 100 miles an hour and you can't take your eyes off it.

And then Liverpool storm down the other end and Darwin Nunez has a chance. He looks to get free down the left channel but only excellent defending from Aymeric Laporte who got there just in time to get a foot in and divert the shot for a corner, which comes to nothing.

What a start to this one.

Dion Dublin
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

That is a huge chance for Haaland. He gets in behind the two centre-halves and he's on goal. All he has to do is sidefoot it round Kelleher or chip him.

It's a horrible miss from Haaland.

Nearly a dream start for Manchester City. Rodri plays it through to Erling Haaland, Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is miles out of his goal.

Haaland tries to lift it over him, but can't steer it on target. A huge chance in the first 60 seconds.

Dion Dublin
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

This is going to be one of those games where both teams go for it. Neither is going to sit back. It's going to be an important game for both managers, this could easily have been the final.

Light show done. Blue Moon ringing around the Etihad. Special.

A reminder of the sides picked by Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

Manchester City XI: Ortega, Lewis, Akanji, Laporte, Ake, Rodri, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Mahrez, Haaland, Palmer.

Subs: Carson, Walker, Stones, Cancelo, Grealish, Gomez, Bernardo, Foden, Robertson.

Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Milner, Gomez, Matip, Robertson, Bajcetic, Thiago, Elliott, Carvalho, Salah, Nunez.

Subs: Adrian, Fabinho, Keita, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Tsimikas, Ramsay, Phillips, Doak.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the Etihad Stadium

I arrived at the ground far later than I intended to tonight but even with less than 20 minutes to kick-off, there were loads of fans queuing up to get in.

I hope they made it. This should be a cracker.

Dion Dublin
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

On current form and with what they've done over the past few years, these two clubs are the ones you want to see.

Liverpool have a pretty decent recent record against Manchester City. Can they continue that tonight?

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the Etihad Stadium

There's lots of smoke hanging over the pitch - deliberately I hasten to add - which is giving the Etihad Stadium an eerie feel.

Now for the light show.

Phil Foden is one of five players on the benches tonight after playing for England at the World Cup (along with team-mates Kyle Walker, John Stones and Jack Grealish, while Jordan Henderson is among the Liverpool subs).

He posted this on Twitter yesterday...

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised Argentina's World Cup winner Julian Alvarez, saying: “For Julian, we're delighted. He played a lot and his contribution was amazing for the team, for the way they played. We have a world champion in our team.

“We are incredibly happy for him. Congratulations to him, for Nico Otamendi and, of course, personally for Leo Messi, for Argentina as a country, well deserved champions.”

Messi’s victory cements his place among the greatest players the game has ever seen.

For Guardiola, who won the Champions League twice with Messi at Barca, that issue had never been in doubt.

He said: “Everyone has an opinion but nobody can doubt he’s there. I’ve said many times, for me, he’s the best. It is difficult to understand how a player can appear and do what he’s done in the last 10-15 years.

“The people who saw Pele or Di Stefano, or Maradona – they can say their favourites.

“In these opinions, they can have a sentimental approach. If he’d not won the World Cup, my opinion about what he has done for world football would not change, but it is normal for people that it depends on if they win.

“For him it is the final achievement of an incredible career.”

Jose Enrique
Former Liverpool and Villarreal left-back on BBC Radio 5 Live

What Julian Alvarez has done in the World Cup will affect Erling Haaland. He will feel "this guy is pushing me, so I need to give my best to keep my place", even though we're talking about maybe the best number nine in the world.

Definitely he's going to try to prove to everybody that, ok, Alvarez has done well in the World Cup, but "I'm Erling Haaland and I'm still doing what I'm best at".

Sam: Don’t think game will live up to expectations tonight. Strong squads but first game back after break players will be rusty & it’ll be difficult to get into a rhythm in such a game like this.

Pep Guardiola claims he cannot be expected to act like a statue on the touchline against Liverpool.

The Manchester City manager recognises the importance of behaving responsibly in light of the two clubs’ attempts to defuse tensions in their growing rivalry.

Senior figures at both of the north-west powerhouses have made a joint plea to supporters to guard against unacceptable behaviour.

This comes after Liverpool’s win over City at Anfield in October was overshadowed by a number of unsavoury incidents both on and off the field.

Guardiola acknowledges the managers have a role to play in setting standards but feels that can be achieved without taking away all emotions from the game.

He said: “People cannot behave like they’re marble, like ice cold, when you’re disallowed a goal in these type of games against the biggest opponents.

“We will always react in that way but respect for the officials, the rules and the opponent is always there from my point of view, and my teams, absolutely. Reactions happen, that’s why the referees are there, to react and do what they believe is correct.”

Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan and Manchester City counterpart Ferran Soriano have written a joint letter to supporters to remind them of their responsibilities in an attempt to calm tensions and Reds' assistant boss Pep Lijnders believes that was a good idea.

“It’s very positive that both clubs are co-operating. Ferran and Billy made a good statement, it was really clear,” he said ahead of their Carabao Cup meeting at the Etihad Stadium.

“We know games against City have importance and with rivalry comes emotion and that’s good.

“We need emotion from the stands and we need to feel these games matter. The only problem with emotion is when there’s no respect. Then it becomes really hard.”

It's the reigning holders versus the side that lifted the trophy in each of the four seasons before that.

Neither side would've been happy when the fourth-round draw paired them together so early in the competition.

A reminder that the draw for the quarter-finals takes place on Sky Sports after the Manchester City v Liverpool match tonight.

Joining host Mark Chapman to make the draw will be former Manchester City and Newcastle United shot-stopper, Shay Given, as well as the Lionesses' Euro 2022 winning goalkeeper, Mary Earps.

The quarter-finals will be played in the week commencing 9 January. Charlton of League One are the only non-Premier League team into the quarter-finals.

These are the sides left in...

• Charlton Athletic
• Leicester City
• Manchester City or Liverpool
• Manchester United
• Newcastle United
• Nottingham Forest
• Southampton
• Wolves