MANCHESTER CITY vs SCUNTHORPE UNITED
Since the Premier League’s inception in 1992, many fans of supposedly ‘smaller’ clubs have complained- and rightly so- of a monopoly where the riches of an elite few disabled their clubs from competing. How, even in 2009, could Aston Villa, Sunderland or Everton make a genuine assault on the top four with measly budgets of £40million?
Well, if their complaints are warranted and genuine, spare a thought for Scunthorpe United. The Irons are worlds away from even the poorest Premier clubs. Their highest transfer fee paid to date is £425,000. The highest attendance at Glanford Park, 8,921, is a record achieved only last week against Newcastle United. Perhaps those clubs bemoaning the ‘harsh reality’ of only ever being capable of competing for the Europa League should take a broader perspective. A second Championship spell in the space of three years is a golden era for this football club, who have never been in the top division, nor lifted a trophy.
City and Scunthorpe have only met on four occasions, and the Blues have won each game quite comfortably. A first meeting at Maine Road in 1963 saw an 8-1 home demolition and in the return leg that season, there was to be no revenge as City took home the points with a convincing 4-2 victory. Eleven years later, the two sides met again at Maine Road in the League Cup- 6-0 the end result with a certain Colin Bell bagging a hat-trick to help City on their way to the final. It would be 32 years before another meeting, when in 2006 Scunthorpe had the opportunity to visit the City of Manchester Stadium for the first time in an FA Cup third round encounter. The away side took the league to the dismay of the home crowd but Robbie Fowler came off the bench to score a hat-trick and seal another Blues win.
Histories and statuses aside, what can we expect from our North Lincolnshire guests tomorrow evening? They are currently 16th in the Championship after a reasonably good start, with survival very much the target. Naturally they will compete ferociously from the first whistle and compensate for their lesser ability with 100% determination. This tactic has often proved costly for bigger clubs in Cup competitions, where foreign stars have found the aggressive approach difficult to overcome. Mark Hughes will have to make his players aware of the nature of the game and pour cold water over any complacency, and his pre-match press conference suggests he’s fully aware of that.
Speaking to mcfc.co.uk this morning, when asked if there was any danger of complacency he said “No, absolutely not. We’ve given the competition the respect it deserves in the previous rounds and that’s not going to change irrespective of the opposition. It’s a game that we want to win and as a consequence that will determine our attitude”
Key players-
Gary Hooper, who scored 30 goals last season in the Irons’ charge for promotion, will look to exploit any weakness in the City backline to further increase his burgeoning reputation. 29 year-old Grant McCann will look to orchestrate from the middle. His exceptional vision and passing range could prove another thorn in City’s side and he will have to be watched closely.
do you mind I am having a pee, says Gary Hooper
Grant McCann and Gary Hooper celebrating a fantastic pee that reached the halfway line
Kolo Touré, Martin Petrov and Wayne Bridge are all expected to miss out through injury, while Robinho continues his rehabilitation in Brazil. Roque Santa Cruz suffered from Tonsillitis earlier in the week so is also a doubt. Young academy products Ben Mee and Kieran Trippier are expected to make the squad for the game.
Ben may not be best known for his goals, but he can find the net when he needs to
It will be good to see one of the up and coming talents given a chance in the first team
This game will not be a walk in the park for City and they will need to show strength and certain qualities to progress. I can see a slow, somewhat frustrating start, but much like the tie with Crystal Palace in the 2nd round, the Blues’ superior fitness levels should enable a win.
Prediction: City 2-0 Scunthorpe
A massive thanks to “Colin The King” from www.mancityfans.net for this excellent Carling Cup Match Preview. You can discuss this and more at our forum via the link provided.