On Sky
A sixth Wembley appearance inside three years will be City’s reward if they can beat West Ham in the Capital One League Cup Semi-Final. Episode one follows…
Vital Quotes:
Manuel Pellegrini:
‘We are not thinking about the four trophies, we are just thinking about winning the next game we have to play. This is one of the two games of the semi-final of Capital One, it is very important we play here at home and I suppose we are going to have to have a very good performance to try to win against West Ham. But after West Ham, we will only be thinking about Newcastle. So I repeat, we are not thinking about the trophies, we are only thinking about the present.’
Samuel Allardyce:
‘As big as the game is and the underdogs that we are, we believe that we can get to Wembley. It’s been done by clubs before at this level. I did it at Bolton, quite a few years ago when we beat Aston Villa in the semi-final. With a bit of luck, a bit of fortune and the right amount of organisation, desire and commitment from the players we feel as though we can give it our best shot. We have to work along the lines of what Crystal Palace did recently which was be very well organised, be a very well structured team that makes it extremely difficult for the talents that Manchester City have got.’
Manchester City Team News:
OUT:
Dedryk Boyata – Suspended
Micah Richards
Stevan Jovetić
Sergio Agüero
Jack Rodwell
Jesús Navas
LATE FITNESS TEST:
Martin Demichelis
Player to watch: Álvaro Negredo
Might seem a little churlish to suggest a man with 18 goals from 31 appearances is out of form but in the last 2 games The Beast of Vallecas has looked a little off the pace. The ball hasn’t quite run for him in truth but we are reliably informed that when his performance has dipped it’s often when we can expect the spectacular.
West Ham United Team News:
OUT:
Kevin Nolan – Suspended
Winston Reid
Andy Carroll
Mark Noble
James Collins
James Tomkins
Ricardo Vaz Te
Player to watch: Roger Johnson
The 30 year old Wolves man has answered Sam Allardyce’s defensive SOS and could be charged with organising The Hammers back line at Fortress Etihad. The experienced stopper has been on loan at Birmingham this season having been transfer listed by Wolves following their latest relegation.
Match Facts & Stats
THE NUMBERS GAME:
Liverpool are the only side to beat The Blues in a home semi-final tie in this competition – in 1981 and 2012.
The Irons have won only 1 game at the Etihad Stadium, beating The Blues in an FA Cup quarter-final tie in 2006. Dean Ashton scored both goals in a 1-2 win. Kiki Musampa netted City`s consolation.
Sam Allardyce led Bolton Wanderers to the 2004 League Cup final where they lost 2-1 to Middlesbrough.
HEAD TO HEAD
League: 42 City Wins, 14 Draws, 33 West Ham Wins
FA Cup: 1 City Win, 1 Draw, 2 West Ham Wins
League Cup: 1 City Win, 1 Draw
Total: 44 City Wins, 16 Draws, 35 West Ham Wins
THIS COULD BE THE LAST TIME:
Sa 19 Oct 2013 West Ham 1 – 3 Man City
Sa 27Apr 2013 Man City 2 – 1 West Ham
Sa 03Nov 2012 West Ham 0 – Man City 0
Su 01May 2011 Man City 2 – 1 West Ham
Sa 11Dec 2010 West Ham 1 – 3 Man City
Su 09May 2010 West Ham 1 – 1 Man City
Betting: City 1/6 Draw 14/2 West Ham 18 Racing Post Soccerbase
FORM LAST 6 GAMES ALL COMPETITIONS:
West Ham: WLLDLL
City: WWWWWD
THE LEAGUE CUP FINAL DATE:
City or West Ham will play in the Capital One League Cup Final on Sunday 2nd March 2014.
CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR PREDICTIONS AND FOLLOW THE GAME LIVE IN THE VMC FORUM
TV COVERAGE: Sky Sports 1 uk / 1HD
LiveOnSat.com
mcfcofficial: PELLEGRINI: City v West Ham Press Conference
Ref Watch:
Jonathan Moss from West Yorkshire
-Last Season: Sa 17Nov 2012 Man City 5 – 0 Aston Villa PL, Sa 19Jan 2013 Man City 2 – 0 Fulham PL This Season: Sa 05Oct 2013 Man City 3 – 1 Everton PL-2012/13: 31 Games, 86 Yellows, 1 Red -2013/14: 19 Games, 61 Yellows, 2 Reds.
Match Prediction:
Johnny On The Spot:
Time for match number two in this week’s domestic cup double header. Blackburn at the weekend was all set to be something of a euphoric away day party as City fans descended upon the Lancashire town bursting with belief only to see the City team deliver a wholly sub-standard performance. Manuel Pellegrini will ring the changes again for this one and The Hammers can expect to face a much stronger City side than the one roughed up by Rovers. West Ham for their part, particularly the young side traumatised by a humiliating defeat at Nottingham Forest are on the slide and will be desperate to get something out of this game. Both squads have lengthy absentee lists which make for selection headaches but The Engineer has greater strength in depth than Big Sam and I expect that fact to tell as City’s season enters a crucial juncture.
City 3 West Ham 0
Next Fixtures:
all times East Manchester GMT
Su 12Jan 14h05 Newcastle United, St James Park, PL
We 15Jan 19h45 Blackburn, The Etihad, FAC3R
Sa 18Jan 15h00 Cardiff City, The Etihad, PL
Tu 21Jan 19h45 West Ham United, Upton Park, LCSF2
We 29Jan 19h45 Tottenham Hotspur, White Hart Lane, PL
Mo 03Feb 2014 20h00 Chelsea, The Etihad, PL
Sa 08Feb 15h00 Norwich City, Carrow Road, PL
We 12Feb 19h45 Sunderland, The Etihad, PL
Tu 18Feb 19h45 FC Barcelona, CL
Sa 22Feb 15h00 Stoke City, The Etihad PL
Sa 01Mar 15h00 The Stretfords, the swamp, PL