The Carling Cup Quarter-Finals will be contested this week as teams pursue the first domestic trophy of the English season.
Two-time defending Champions Manchester United face a trip to West Ham United in the last eight, where Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to make a number of changes from the 7-1 weekend win over Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League.
Arsenal will be chasing their first trophy in five years as the Gunners play host to Wigan Athletic. The Quarter-Finals will also see a second city derby as bitter rivals Birmingham City and Aston Villa go head to head. Villa will be looking to go one better than their defeat in last season’s Carling Cup final to Manchester United.
Ipswich Town are the only Championship team left in the competition, and Roy Keane will be looking to reach his first semi-final as a manager with victory over in-form West Bromwich Albion.
West Ham United will play host to Manchester United buoyed by their weekend win over Wigan Athletic, a game that was dramatically billed as the ‘Save Our Season’ match. Manchester United are two time defending Champions and will be looking for their third Carling Cup title in a row.
West Ham defender Lars Jacobsen is cup-tied and ineligible after playing for Blackburn Rovers in earlier rounds of this season’s competition. Ironically, the League Cup game against Norwich City was Jacobsen’s only appearance for the Hammers. Veteran midfielder Kieron Dyer will be hoping to shake off a hamstring injury in time to play.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to ring the changes after their impressive 7-1 weekend victory over Blackburn Rovers. Chris Smalling, Wes Brown and Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez are all strong contenders to start.
It has been over five years since Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger won a trophy, and for that reason he may place a little more value than usual in winning this year’s Carling Cup. Arsenal have reached this stage with wins over Newcastle and Tottenham, scoring four goals in each game. Wigan Athletic will be playing in only their third quarter final. This is their best run since 2006 when they reached the final by beating Arsenal.
Arsenal Captain Cesc Fabregas will be out, while Robin van Persie may feature after recovering from an ankle injury.
Wigan striker Victor Moses could start after impressing as a second half substitute in the weekend defeat to West Ham United. Defender Gary Caldwell is out with a thigh problem.
Bitter rivals Birmingham City and Aston Villa go head to head with a spot in the Carling Cup Semi-Finals at stake. Birmingham’s last trophy was in 1963 when they won the League Cup, the closest they have come to a trophy since is 2001, when they lost the 2001 League Cup Final to a Liverpool team managed by Gerard Houllier.
On Wednesday night, the Blues will face Houllier again, as the Frenchman is now in charge of an Aston Villa team hoping to go one better than last season’s Carling Cup Final defeat to Manchester United.
Star midfielder Alexander Hleb will be out for Birmingham with a hamstring strain. Villa will be without young winger Mark Albrighton due to appendix surgery, striker Emile Heskey is also struggling with a knee injury.
Star French midfielder Robert Pires could start for the Villains, Pires has two Premier League and three F.A. Cup titles from his days with Arsenal, but has not won the League Cup in his decorated career.
Ipswich Town are the only Championship team left in the competition, and will be looking to reach the semi-final with victory over West Bromwich Albion. A win would take some pressure off manager Roy Keane, who has received criticism following the 4-1 weekend defeat at the hands of Norwich City in the East Anglian derby.
West Bromwich Albion enter this game in very different form, after an impressive 4-1 win at Everton last weekend. West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo was a League Cup winner as a player with Chelsea in 1998, and will see this tournament as a chance to win his first trophy as a manager.
Ipswich Town have a lengthy injury list that includes goalkeeper Marton Fulop, as well as Gareth McAuley, Connor Wickham and Mark Kennedy. Damien Delaney is suspended after a weekend red card in the defeat to Norwich. West Brom will be without forward Ishmael Miller, and long term absentee Jonas Olsson.
Arsenal will be chasing their first trophy in five years as the Gunners play host to Wigan Athletic. The Quarter-Finals will also see a second city derby as bitter rivals Birmingham City and Aston Villa go head to head. Villa will be looking to go one better than their defeat in last season’s Carling Cup final to Manchester United.
Ipswich Town are the only Championship team left in the competition, and Roy Keane will be looking to reach his first semi-final as a manager with victory over in-form West Bromwich Albion.
West Ham United will play host to Manchester United buoyed by their weekend win over Wigan Athletic, a game that was dramatically billed as the ‘Save Our Season’ match. Manchester United are two time defending Champions and will be looking for their third Carling Cup title in a row.
West Ham defender Lars Jacobsen is cup-tied and ineligible after playing for Blackburn Rovers in earlier rounds of this season’s competition. Ironically, the League Cup game against Norwich City was Jacobsen’s only appearance for the Hammers. Veteran midfielder Kieron Dyer will be hoping to shake off a hamstring injury in time to play.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to ring the changes after their impressive 7-1 weekend victory over Blackburn Rovers. Chris Smalling, Wes Brown and Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez are all strong contenders to start.
It has been over five years since Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger won a trophy, and for that reason he may place a little more value than usual in winning this year’s Carling Cup. Arsenal have reached this stage with wins over Newcastle and Tottenham, scoring four goals in each game. Wigan Athletic will be playing in only their third quarter final. This is their best run since 2006 when they reached the final by beating Arsenal.
Arsenal Captain Cesc Fabregas will be out, while Robin van Persie may feature after recovering from an ankle injury.
Wigan striker Victor Moses could start after impressing as a second half substitute in the weekend defeat to West Ham United. Defender Gary Caldwell is out with a thigh problem.
Bitter rivals Birmingham City and Aston Villa go head to head with a spot in the Carling Cup Semi-Finals at stake. Birmingham’s last trophy was in 1963 when they won the League Cup, the closest they have come to a trophy since is 2001, when they lost the 2001 League Cup Final to a Liverpool team managed by Gerard Houllier.
On Wednesday night, the Blues will face Houllier again, as the Frenchman is now in charge of an Aston Villa team hoping to go one better than last season’s Carling Cup Final defeat to Manchester United.
Star midfielder Alexander Hleb will be out for Birmingham with a hamstring strain. Villa will be without young winger Mark Albrighton due to appendix surgery, striker Emile Heskey is also struggling with a knee injury.
Star French midfielder Robert Pires could start for the Villains, Pires has two Premier League and three F.A. Cup titles from his days with Arsenal, but has not won the League Cup in his decorated career.
Ipswich Town are the only Championship team left in the competition, and will be looking to reach the semi-final with victory over West Bromwich Albion. A win would take some pressure off manager Roy Keane, who has received criticism following the 4-1 weekend defeat at the hands of Norwich City in the East Anglian derby.
West Bromwich Albion enter this game in very different form, after an impressive 4-1 win at Everton last weekend. West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo was a League Cup winner as a player with Chelsea in 1998, and will see this tournament as a chance to win his first trophy as a manager.
Ipswich Town have a lengthy injury list that includes goalkeeper Marton Fulop, as well as Gareth McAuley, Connor Wickham and Mark Kennedy. Damien Delaney is suspended after a weekend red card in the defeat to Norwich. West Brom will be without forward Ishmael Miller, and long term absentee Jonas Olsson.
