WHUFC.com
Fans cannot afford to miss out on a copy of Tuesday's Carling Cup
quarter-final programme
29.11.2010
Paolo Di Canio is the star turn in Tuesday's matchday programme for the
Carling Cup quarter-final visit of Manchester United. This season's
programme has been a must-read again and this latest issue is no different.
The West Ham United legend talks about his unforgettable match-winning goal
in the FA Cup victory at Old Trafford in 2001 and his love of taking on the
Red Devils. Di Canio also discusses United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's
interest in signing him, as well as his hope that the Hammers will achieve
their twin aims of winning the Carling Cup and climbing the Barclays Premier
League table. Aside from the passionate Italian, Tuesday's edition also has
exclusive columns from Chairman David Gold and manager Avram Grant, as well
as all the latest news from the Boleyn Ground. Newham Recorder correspondent
Dave Evans reveals what life is like covering the Hammers, while the
programme also makes the short trip to Nathan's pie and mash shop to
discover why hundreds of fans choose the historic Barking Road establishment
for their pre-match meal.
Winston Reid is the subject of Fans' Mailbag, discussing everything from
doing the Haka to turning down a supporter's request for his underpants,
while trivia king Kieron Dyer takes on the club's kitmen, groundstaff and
chefs in Challenge Kieron. talkSPORT's Ian 'Moose' Abrahams talks to
Manchester United fan and TV personality Terry Christian, while Evening
Standard reporter Ken Dyer remembers the day a young Rio Ferdinand had to
beg his team-mates for a lift home. Martin 'Mad Dog' Allen is the subject of
Where Are They Now?, while Alex Dyer and Tony Carr MBE bring you the latest
news from the club's reserve and youth teams. With all this, plus exclusive
photographs, reaction and stories from inside the club you love, supporters
cannot afford to miss out on a copy of the matchday programme.
Priced £3.50, Tuesday's edition will be on sale in and around the Boleyn
Ground before kick-off and, both pre and post-match, in the Stadium Store.
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Manchester United match preview
WHUFC.com
All the early team news and background for Tuesday night's major cup tie at
the Boleyn Ground
29.11.2010
West Ham United v Manchester United
Carling Cup fifth round
Boleyn Ground
Tuesday 30 November 2010
7.45pm
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
Introduction
• West Ham United welcome Carling Cup holders Manchester United looking for
back to back wins for only the second time this season. They defeated
Sunderland in the Carling Cup with a 2-1 away win on Tuesday 21 September
and then won 1-0 at home against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday 25 September.
• It will be no small feat against United, with the holders having won the
2008/09 and 2009/10 editions. Their last defeat in this competition came in
September 2008 when Coventry City famously won 2-0 at Old Trafford in the
third round.
• Manchester United have scored 13 goals without reply in the last five
meetings between the sides. The Red Devils have triumphed in every one of
those contests and have actually won the last half-dozen encounters. The
Hammers' last success was a 2-1 triumph at home seven games ago on 29
December 2007, thanks to Matt Upson's late headed winner.
• This is the Hammers first quarter-final date since the 2007/08 season.
• The Hammers have only lost three times in 13 matches in all competitions -
including away days at Arsenal and Liverpool.
• West Ham's record home win against Manchester United was a 5-1 success in
the old First Division on 11 October 1930.
• Manchester United's biggest triumph in east London was a 6-1 victory on 6
May 1967.
• The two sides have already met this season when Manchester United won 3-0
at home at Old Trafford on 28 August - and the referee Mark Clattenburg will
again be the man in the middle.
• Tuesday's fixture marks the 121st competitive fixture between West Ham
United and Manchester United. The Hammers have won 41, the Red Devils 55 and
there have been 24 draws.
• Manchester United have won the League Cup four times while the Hammers
lost the 1966 and 1981 finals.
• Avram Grant and Sir Alex Ferguson met as the Chelsea and Manchester United
managers in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final. The match finished 1-1
before the Reds won 6-5 on penalties.
• The record win in this competition was achieved by the Hammers with a 10-0
success against Bury in the second round, second-leg match on 25 October
1983. Liverpool also won by this margin against Fulham in second round,
first-leg match in the same season on 23 September 1983.
Last time out
Saturday 27 November 2010
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United 3-1 Wigan Athletic
West Ham United: Green, Gabbidon, Jacobsen (Reid 51), Upson, Tomkins, Parker
(Kovac 84), Behrami, Barrera, Stanislas, Piquionne (Cole 77), Obinna
Subs not used: Boffin, Boa Morte, Hines, McCarthy
Goals: Behrami 34, Obinna 56, Parker 75
Saturday 27 November 2010
Barclays Premier League
Manchester United 7-1 Blackburn Rovers
Manchester United: Van der Sar, Evra, Vidic (Evans 64), Ferdinand, Rafael,
Park (Obertan 72), Carrick, Anderson, Nani, Rooney, Berbatov
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Fletcher, Giggs, O'Shea, Hernandez
Goals: Berbatov 2, 27, 47, 62, 70, Park 23, Nani 48
Last meeting
The sides have already met this season in the Barclays Premier League on 28
August 2010. A disputed penalty for an apparent foul by Jonathan Spector on
Ryan Giggs saw Wayne Rooney score from the spot before Nani (50) and Dimitar
Berbatov (69) rounded out what proved a comfortable home win.
Manchester United: Van der Sar, Evra, Vidic, O'Shea, Evans (Owen 74),
Fletcher, Giggs, Scholes (Carrick 74), Nani, Rooney, Berbatov (Smalling 74)
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Valencia, Hernandez, Rafael
West Ham United: Green, Gabbidon, Upson, Spector, Ilunga, Faubert (Barrera
62), Parker, Noble, Dyer (Piquionne 76), Boa Morte (Stanislas 89), Cole
Subs not used: Stech, Kovac, Da Costa, McCarthy
Last six meetings (Premier League unless stated)
28 August 2010 - Manchester United 3-0 West Ham United
23 February 2010 - Manchester United 3-0 West Ham United
5 December 2010 - West Ham United 0-4 Manchester United
8 February 2009 - West Ham United 0-1 Manchester United
29 October 2008 - Manchester United 2-0 West Ham United
3 May 2008 - Manchester United 4-1 West Ham United
Overall record v Manchester United (all competitions) W 41 D 24 L 55
Ten-year League Cup records
West Ham United
2009/10 Third round (lost 3-1 after extra time at Bolton Wanderers)
2008/09 Third round (lost 1-0 at Watford)
2007/08 Quarter-final (lost 2-1 v Everton)
2006/07 Third round (lost 2-1 at Chesterfield)
2005/06 Third round (lost 1-0 at Bolton Wanderers)
2004/05 Third round (lost 1-0 at Chelsea)
2003/04 Third round (lost 1-0 after extra time at Tottenham Hotspur)
2002/03 Third round (lost 1-0 v Oldham Athletic)
2001/02 Second round (lost 6-5 on penalties following 0-0 draw at Reading)
2000/01 Fourth round (lost 2-1 v Sheffield Wednesday)
Manchester United
2009/10 Winner
2008/09 Winner
2006/07 Third round (lost 2-0 v Coventry City)
2005/06 Winner
2004/05 Semi-final (lost 2-1 v Chelsea)
2003/04 Fourth round (lost 2-0 v West Bromwich Albion)
2002/03 Final (lost 2-0 v Liverpool)
2001/02 Third round (lost 4-0 v Arsenal)
2000/01 Fourth round (lost 2-1 v Sunderland)
Referee
• County Durham-born Mark Clattenburg will be Tuesdayy's referee. It will be
the third time he has taken charge of a Hammers match this season after the
3-0 defeat at Manchester United in the league on 28 August and the Hammers
1-1 draw at Wolves on 16 October. He also took charge of Man United's 2-0
home win against Tottenham Hotspur on 30 October.
• The 35-year-old was the man in the middle for the Championship play-off
semi-final first leg in May 2004 when Ipswich Town won 1-0 against the
visiting West Ham.
• Clattenburg has been on the Select List since 2004, the same year he took
charge of the Division Three play-off final between Mansfield Town and
Huddersfield Town at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
• After becoming a FIFA official in 2006 at the age of 31, Clattenburg has
taken control of a number of international and UEFA Champions League
matches.
Team news
West Ham United
• Lars Jacobsen is cup-tied.
• Manager Avram Grant is definitely without Thomas Hitzlsperger (thigh) and
Jack Collison (knee). Collison is hoping to return around the turn of the
year, Hitzlsperger has a February comeback date having had surgery on his
torn muscle.
• Manuel da Costa has had surgery a fortnight ago on an ankle injury and is
likely to be missing for up to three months as a result of the problem,
which followed a late Cesc Fabregas foul away to Arsenal.
• Mark Noble has been ruled out for the rest of the year with a hip injury
suffered in the last minute at Anfield. Kieron Dyer will also miss out on
Tuesday as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
• Scott Parker is facing a battle to be involved after still suffering the
effects of a chest infection - although he was able to play on Saturday.
Danny Gabbidon, Frederic Piquionne and Valon Behrami are also doubts after
their exertions at the weekend.
• Zavon Hines played 70 minutes for the reserves in the goalless draw at
Aston Villa a week ago, his second run-out in a week.
• Tal Ben Haim and Junior Faubert could be involved.
• Freddie Sears has extended his loan spell at Championship side Scunthorpe
United until 3 January 2011.
Manchester United
• Darren Fletcher missed Saturday's demolition of Blackburn with an ankle
injury. Sir Alex Ferguson could also again be without groin victim Paul
Scholes.
• Owen Hargreaves, Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen are all still out,
while Dimitar Berbatov may be among those rested after his five-goal haul at
the weekend.
Old boys
• West Ham United defender Jonathan Spector joined Manchester United as a
17-year-old in 2003. The United States international, who has a German
passport, spent two seasons at Old Trafford - making eight appearances for
the first team - before moving to Charlton Athletic on a season-long loan in
the summer of 2005. Spector left Manchester United for West Ham in June 2006
for an initial fee of £500,000.
• Manchester United have two former West Ham United players in their squad.
England defender Rio Ferdinand made 158 appearances for the club between May
1996 and November 2000, scoring two goals. Midfielder Michael Carrick scored
six goals in 159 appearances between July 1999 and May 2004.
• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are Roy Carroll,
Noel Cantwell, Luke Chadwick, Billy Grassam, Paul Ince, Ralph Milne,
Frederick Milnes, Frank O'Farrell, Stuart Pearson, Dave Sexton, Teddy
Sheringham and Raimond van der Gouw.
Next up
• The Hammers are again on Sky Sports for Sunday afternoon's Barclays
Premier League trip to Sunderland while Manchester United, the new league
leaders, travel to Blackpool for a Saturday evening kick-off.
General information
• For ticket information, click here.
• Tuesday night's forecast in east London is for an extremely cold and windy
evening. Temperatures will peak around the 1C mark.
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West Ham v Man Utd
BBC.co.uk
Carling Cup quarter-final
Venue: Upton Park Date: Tuesday, 30 November Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Coverage: Watch League Cup highlights of all four quarter-finals on BBC One
at 2325 GMT on Wednesday; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and BBC local radio;
text commentary on the BBC Sport website. Also live on on Sky Sports 1,
TEAM NEWS
West Ham have no new injury problems although defender Lars Jacobsen is
cup-tied and thus ineligible to play. Midfielder Kieron Dyer is hoping his
hamstring injury will have cleared up in time to play.
Manchester United are likely to be much changed from the side that thrashed
Blackburn 7-1 on Saturday. Javier Hernandez, Chris Smalling and Wes Brown
could play while keeper Edwin van der Sar could be rested with Tomasz
Kuszczak or Ben Amos stepping up.
MATCH PREVIEW
West Ham's weekend win may have lifted the pressure off Avram Grant for now
but the reprieve could prove to be temporary. A poor display against what is
likely to be a second-string Manchester United side would not go down well
at Upton Park and Grant will remember all too well that the last time he was
sacked was after a cup defeat by Sir Alex Ferguson's side.
While Sir Alex Ferguson may not regard beating West Ham in the Carling Cup
quarter-finals in as high regard as depriving Chelsea in the Champions
League final, his side are two-time defending champions and will not be
giving up their crown lightly. And with United finally hitting stride in
Saturday's 7-1 thumping of Blackburn, the Red Devils will be anxious to keep
up the winning momentum as the season enters what will be a very busy
December.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Manchester United have won their last six meetings with West Ham - all
Premier League encounters - and have kept five consecutive clean sheets
against them.
• The teams have met only once before in the League Cup, back in 1985 when
Norman Whiteside's goal gave United a 1-0 third-round win.
West Ham
• Last Saturday's 3-1 win over Wigan ended a five-match winless run for West
Ham.
• But the Hammers are looking to take their unbeaten home run in all
competitions to five matches, having not lost at Upton Park since the
Premier League visit of Newcastle on 23 October.
• The 1966 and 1981 runners-up are looking for an eighth appearance in the
semi-finals, and their first since 1989/90.
Manchester United
• Manchester United are unbeaten this season, having won 15 and drawn eight
of their 23 matches.
• Sir Alex Ferguson's side have lifted the League Cup in three of the last
five seasons, including the most recent two.
• Victory would give United a 13th appearance in the semi-finals.
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Gabbidon interest mounts
Defender yet to agree new contract at West Ham
Last updated: 29th November 2010
SSN
Skysports.com understands a number of clubs are tracking West Ham defender
Danny Gabbidon. Gabbidon's current contract expires at the end of the season
and as yet no new deal has been agreed. It means the former Wales
international could leave Upton Park on a free transfer in the summer, with
several interested sides waiting in the wings to sign him. Gabbidon has been
one of West Ham's shining lights in a disappointing season for the Hammers
with the versatile defender proving his fitness after spells on the
sidelines. Premier League duo Birmingham and West Brom are both thought to
be keeping tabs on Gabbidon's situation at Upton Park. Former club Cardiff
could also offer Gabbidon a move away from West Ham if he fails to agree a
new deal.
The trio could move for Gabbidon if West Ham decide to sell him in January
for a cut-price fee rather than risk losing him for nothing in the summer.
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Grant expects United stumble
Hammers boss feels Red Devils will come unstuck at some point
Last updated: 29th November 2010
SSN
Avram Grant does not believe that Manchester United can go the entire
2010/11 campaign unbeaten. The Red Devils are on course to achieve such a
feat at present, with impressive progress made in the Premier League, UEFA
Champions League and Carling Cup. They moved to the top of the table with a
7-1 demolition of Blackburn on Saturday, the first time they have occupied
such a lofty standing this season. Next up for Sir Alex Ferguson's men is a
cup date with West Ham on Tuesday, with a place in the Carling Cup
semi-finals up for grabs. The Hammers are not expected to be the ones to put
the first blemish on United's copybook, but will be doing all they can to
spring a surprise. Manager Grant accepts his men are set to go head-to-head
with a class act in midweek, but admits he would be surprised if the Red
Devils were to replicate Arsenal's heroics of 2003/04 when they negotiated
an entire Premier League campaign without suffering a single defeat. "It has
happened before with Arsenal, but I don't think it will [again]," said the
Israeli. "What happened with Arsenal was exceptional. I don't believe there
is a team which can last all the season without losing."
Clever
He added: "When I was at Chelsea, Alex [Ferguson] described that season as
the best season ever - but even then they did not start so well. "You don't
need to be at your best in the first few months, but at the end of the
season. "Alex is very clever. He does it every year. I can't remember one
season when United started with full power."
While United are expected to shuffle their pack on Tuesday, as they look to
keep key men fresh, Grant admits he will be taking the competition
seriously.
He will have certain individuals unavailable through injury, as has been the
case all season, but is confident that he can field a competitive side at
Upton Park. "Many of the players we have in the squad this season have had
long-term injuries, so we have to manage them differently," Grant said. "We
are doing all we can so they can play, sometimes we succeed, sometimes not.
"It is not very often that West Ham comes to a quarter-final of any
competition, so we will try to win this game."
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Hammers 10.5 million writ over Ashton
The Sun
By ANDREW DILLON
Published: Today
WEST HAM will hit the FA with a £10.5million writ in the war over Dean
Ashton. The Hammers are to hand legal papers to a QC as they step up their
compensation battle with the game's governing body over the striker's
enforced retirement. Ashton had to pack up last year because of a chronic
ankle injury and West Ham believe it stems from the break he suffered at
England training ahead of a clash with Greece in August 2006. They are suing
the FA for the £8m insurance he had with them at the time plus the £2.5m
payout from the club when he was forced to call it a day in December 2009,
aged just 26. Ashton had two operations but played around 40 more games for
West Ham and was even awarded a new five-year contract. West Ham chose the
eve of tonight's Carling Cup quarter-final against Manchester United to take
the next step against the FA, who have so far refused demands for
compensation. Now the stand-off is heading for the courtroom in a bitter
club v country row.
West Ham are also considering their position with regard to the solicitors
who advised them in the Carlos Tevez affair. Sheffield United successfully
claimed around £25m in damages for being relegated as West Ham stayed up
with the ineligible Argentinian in the side. It will be another three years
before the full amount is paid off.
Meanwhile, West Ham's newest recruit Victor Obinna reckons he is fired up to
stick five past in-form United in tonight's clash. The Nigerian striker, on
loan from Inter Milan, is taking heart from scoring his first Premier League
goal in Saturday's 3-1 win over Wigan to add to two in the Carling Cup - and
he has no fear of United. Obinna said: "It's not scary to me. That's
football. Anything can happen. I could score five - of course. That's
football. "We've played against big clubs already. We played against
Arsenal, we lost 1-0. We played against Tottenham and won 1-0. Of course we
can change things. "The Carling Cup has brought me good tidings. Unlike the
Premier League. So I can continue my run in the Carling Cup."
West Ham go into the tie bottom of the Premier League. Obinna said: "We've
been playing well but been unfortunate. Football is all about results. "If
we had been getting results, the fans wouldn't be saying what they've said.
But the fans have the right to say whatever they want. "It motivates me
more. Sometimes you can't listen to what people say. You just have to take
the positive ones and leave the rest and move ahead. "When I leave the
pitch, I want to leave with my head held high knowing I have given my best.
"You can see that with all the players. They have been giving 100 per cent.
Everyone."
WEST HAM (likely): Green, Faubert, Upson, Tomkins, Ilunga, Kovac, Boa Morte,
Stanislas, Obinna, Piquionne, Cole.
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Hammers striker unfazed by the visit of Red-hot Devils
Published 23:00 29/11/10 By Darren Lewis
The Mirror
West Ham striker Victor Obinna last night told rampant Manchester United -
'You don't scare me'. The defiant Nigerian - on loan from Inter Milan - has
also hit back at fan claims that he and his team-mates do not care enough
about the club's relegation plight. Despite beating Wigan 3-1 at the weekend
the Hammers are still rock bottom of the Premier League table. They now face
a tricky Carling Cup clash tonight against United, who smashed seven past
Blackburn on Saturday.
Sir Alex Ferguson is unlikely to field five-goal Dimitar Berbatov so soon
after the Bulgarian's demolition of Sam Allardyce's men. But he is still
likely to play in-form Javier Hernandez and Wayne Rooney to allow the
England striker to regain his match sharpness. And, despite their slow start
to the season, the top-of-the-table Reds remain unbeaten in all
competitions. However Obinna, who grabbed his first goal for Avram Grant at
the weekend, remains unfazed.
He said: "Yeah, yeah. It's not scary to me. That's football. Anything can
happen. I could score five. Of course. That's football. "We've played
against big clubs already. We played against Tottenham and beat them 1-0. Of
course we can change things."
West Ham have lost seven, drawn six and lost two of their 15 games in the
Premier League so far this season. It has led angry fans to question the
players' commitment, despite impressive Carling Cup wins at home to Oxford,
away to Sunderland and at home to Stoke. Obinna hit back: "I don't think its
true that the players don't work hard. When I talk about players I start
with myself. "Each time I go on to the pitch I try to do my maximum. I give
all the best. "In all the games I have played so far I have done my best to
make sure we win games. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn't go well
but that's part of football. "But each week we go in to train, we make sure
we give our maximum. "This is my job. I don't have any other job to do. This
is what I love doing. Mentally each time I leave the pitch I like to leave
with my head held high knowing I have done my best. "You can see that with
all the players, Scotty (Parker), Matt (Upson), they have been giving 100%.
Everyone. I can't go through all the names but its everyone. "Every one of
the players that goes onto the pitch for West Ham wants to win. For West
Ham. "Its not that they go onto the pitch to relax. They want to win. We
want to win. And the thing is we have been playing some good football. We've
been playing really well against teams like Birmingham, Wolves, Stoke and
Tottenham. "Its just that we've been a little bit unfortunate and football
is all about results. "If we had been getting results the fans wouldn't be
saying what they've said. But the fans have the right to say whatever they
want. "It motivates me more. Sometimes you can't listen to what people say.
You just have to take the positive ones and leave the rest and move ahead."
While Obinna has scored just once in the Premier League, he has netted twice
in West Ham's three Carling Cup games. He added: "The Carling Cup has
brought me good tidings. Unlike the Premier League. So hopefully I can
continue my run in the Carling Cup. "My target is to take West Ham to the
top. I want to score more goals, do well and the season will be fantastic."
Meanwhile Upton Park boss Avram Grant is not a believer that United can go
the season unbeaten in any competition, despite their eye-catching run.
Arsenal remain the only club to have completed an invincible season seven
years ago. Grant said: "It has happened before with Arsenal. It can happen
again but I don't think it will. What happened with Arsenal was exceptional.
"I don't believe there is a team which can last all the season without
losing."
Elsewhere West Ham joint-chairman David Gold has jokingly urged Sir Alex to
REST Berbatov and Rooney to allow the east Londoners to go on a Cup run.
Gold said: "I think that United should rest Berbatov. And I would rest
Rooney. I don't think there is any need to risk them." "But I don't really
mind if they come here with a full team as I still think that if they come
here on a cup night... it is not so much the team that they play but the
will on the pitch. You can put out your best team and you can be playing in
a friendly and it depends on how they treat the match. "We will treat it as
very important. The players will be relaxed and better feeling, having won
at long last. We have every chance to beat Manchester United."
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Scott Parker to miss West Ham's Carling Cup tie with Manchester United
Scott Parker struggling with a chest infection
Hammers hope Tomkins and Piquionne will be fit
Dominic Fifield
guardian.co.uk, Monday 29 November 2010 22.31 GMT
Scott Parker is expected to miss West Ham United's Carling Cup quarter-final
against Manchester United tomorrow evening with the Premier League's bottom
club anxious not to risk the midfielder's fitness as they continue their
struggle against relegation.
Parker, whose training has been disrupted over the past fortnight by a chest
infection, has been consistently West Ham's most impressive player this term
but is likely to be on the bench at best tomorrow night despite the
Londoners being been badly depleted by niggling injuries.
That will mean Avram Grant, whose team recorded their second league win of
the season against Wigan Athletic on Saturday, selecting something of a
makeshift side against United with one eye on the trip to Sunderland on
Sunday.
Grant is hopeful that James Tomkins and Frédéric Piquionne will shake off
knocks sustained on Saturday and be fit to play – the former would
undoubtedly benefit from another appearance alongside Matthew Upson at the
heart of the side's defence – but players such as Valon Behrami, Danny
Gabbidon, Herita Ilunga and Kieron Dyer have all reported problems and are
not expected to feature. Furthermore, Mark Noble and Manuel da Costa remain
sidelined, with hip and ankle problems respectively, while Jack Collison and
Thomas Hitzlsperger are long-term absentees and Lars Jacobsen is cup-tied.
"The medical department are doing all they can to get the players ready to
play as much as they can," Grant said. "But we have to wait and see. We made
seven changes against Sunderland [in the third round] and won, and now we
want to win this game. But I don't know yet who will play. I think
Manchester United will make changes but they have good players.
"Many of the players we have in the squad this season have had long-term
injuries, so we have to manage them differently. We are doing all we can so
they can play: sometimes we succeed, sometimes not. It is not very often
that West Ham comes to a quarter-final of any competition, so we will try to
win this game."
Robert Green should start his first game in the competition this season,
replacing Marek Stech who began the victories over Oxford, Sunderland and
Stoke City, with Grant aware of the need to maintain the much-needed
momentum built up in the morale-boosting victory against Wigan. The West Ham
manager can ill afford to see his side embarrassed by what is expected to be
United's second string.
United, in contrast, arrive having not lost a game since April and fresh
from the 7-1 drubbing of Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. "When I was at
Chelsea, Alex [Ferguson] described that season as the best season ever, but
even then they did not start so well," Grant said. "You don't need to be at
your best in the first few months, but at the end of the season. Alex is
very clever. He does it every year. I can't remember one season when United
started with full power."
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Pascal Chimbonda put on Blackburn Rovers transfer list
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 10:44 PM on 29th November 2010
Daily Mail
Blackburn's Pascal Chimbonda has been told he has no future at the club -
just four months after he was blocked from joining West Ham United. The
versatile defender and one-time France international has figured in the last
five Premier League games at Blackburn but looks to have fallen victim to
the expected changes following the club's takeover by ambitious Indian group
Venky's. Chimbonda, 31, is believed to be disappointed as he was set to join
West Ham for £500,000 in August only for Blackburn to ask him to stay and
put Lars Jacobsen in the deal instead. Chimbonda played left-back against
Manchester United on Saturday and was at fault for one of Dimitar Berbatov's
five goals but his ability to play right-back and centre half has made him a
useful member of Sam Allardyce's squad. However, he now looks set to leave
on a free in the summer or cut-price fee in January.
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