Alan D
20 Mar 2006, 12:18 PM
Man City v West Ham preview
By Lewis Rutledge - Created on 20 Mar 2006
http://images.skysports.com/images/playerpics05_06/Premiership/preview-badges/Oct15-16/mancity-westham.gif
Kickoff at 8:05pm live on BBC 1
Manchester City and West Ham battle it out in the first of the FA Cup quarter finals on Monday night.
Both Stuart Pearce and Alan Pardew rested several of their key players for Saturday's Premiership matches, in preparation for what is surely the biggest clash of each club's season.
City's disappointing 1-0 defeat to Wigan brought their seven-match winning run at Eastlands to an end, and Pearce will be expecting a much improved performance after his public criticism of those involved at the weekend.
Man City have not reached the semi finals of the FA Cup since 1981, but have impressed in this year's competition with victories over Wigan and Aston Villa in previous rounds.
However, they are sweating on the fitness of striker Georgios Samaras, who is struggling with a knee injury, as well as Claudio Reyna (shoulder) and Antoine Sibierski (dead leg).
Senior players such as Darius Vassell, Richard Dunne and Joey Barton are certain to be restored to the starting line-up.
West Ham also lost on Saturday, but have been in fine form of late and have a tremendous record away from home in the FA Cup.
They have not lost any of their last 11 cup clashes on the road, and will fancy their chances of making the last four after seeing off the dangerous Blackburn and Bolton in the last couple of rounds.
Marlon Harewood is likely to return to the side after being dropped to the bench against Portsmouth, but Pardew must choose his partner from Bobby Zamora, Teddy Sheringham and Dean Ashton.
Goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, who also missed the Pompey clash, is regarded as a major doubt because of a hamstring injury, while Anton Ferdinand and Matthew Etherington face late fitness tests.
Ferdinand suffered a reaction to a thigh problem over the weekend, and Etherington is struggling to recover from a back injury.
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=372818&CPID=1&clid=&lid=&title=Man+City+v+West+Ham+preview
----------------------------------------------------------
I don't like to predict because anything is possible with City involved. A win is obviously the best thing that City can do, but a replay would be very hard back at Upton Park, although Cole may be back from injury for the replay date (whenever it is). Losing tonight will basically mean our season is over in anything that we can achieve or do.
By Lewis Rutledge - Created on 20 Mar 2006
http://images.skysports.com/images/playerpics05_06/Premiership/preview-badges/Oct15-16/mancity-westham.gif
Kickoff at 8:05pm live on BBC 1
Manchester City and West Ham battle it out in the first of the FA Cup quarter finals on Monday night.
Both Stuart Pearce and Alan Pardew rested several of their key players for Saturday's Premiership matches, in preparation for what is surely the biggest clash of each club's season.
City's disappointing 1-0 defeat to Wigan brought their seven-match winning run at Eastlands to an end, and Pearce will be expecting a much improved performance after his public criticism of those involved at the weekend.
Man City have not reached the semi finals of the FA Cup since 1981, but have impressed in this year's competition with victories over Wigan and Aston Villa in previous rounds.
However, they are sweating on the fitness of striker Georgios Samaras, who is struggling with a knee injury, as well as Claudio Reyna (shoulder) and Antoine Sibierski (dead leg).
Senior players such as Darius Vassell, Richard Dunne and Joey Barton are certain to be restored to the starting line-up.
West Ham also lost on Saturday, but have been in fine form of late and have a tremendous record away from home in the FA Cup.
They have not lost any of their last 11 cup clashes on the road, and will fancy their chances of making the last four after seeing off the dangerous Blackburn and Bolton in the last couple of rounds.
Marlon Harewood is likely to return to the side after being dropped to the bench against Portsmouth, but Pardew must choose his partner from Bobby Zamora, Teddy Sheringham and Dean Ashton.
Goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, who also missed the Pompey clash, is regarded as a major doubt because of a hamstring injury, while Anton Ferdinand and Matthew Etherington face late fitness tests.
Ferdinand suffered a reaction to a thigh problem over the weekend, and Etherington is struggling to recover from a back injury.
http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=372818&CPID=1&clid=&lid=&title=Man+City+v+West+Ham+preview
----------------------------------------------------------
I don't like to predict because anything is possible with City involved. A win is obviously the best thing that City can do, but a replay would be very hard back at Upton Park, although Cole may be back from injury for the replay date (whenever it is). Losing tonight will basically mean our season is over in anything that we can achieve or do.