Previews

Gunners and City in action

Author: Lynda Collins
Date: 24/01/2010
Football betting

Arsenal and Manchester City top the bill when the FA Cup fourth round programme is completed on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners head to the Britannia Stadium to take on Stoke City, while the Citizens face a potential banana skin when they head to Glanford Park to face Scunthorpe United.

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Stoke will be out to avenge a 2-0 Premier League defeat at the Emirates Stadium six weeks ago, boosted by the knowledge that they saw off the Gunners in the league 2-0 at the Britannia last season.

Tony Pulis' City side will no doubt give another all-action performance in pursuit of a positive result, with the Potters boss still intent on making his side into a top-flight force.

"If we keep this momentum going in the next couple of years, we will be a top-ten Premier League club," Pulis told The Sentinel. "We need three years to put the foundations down then we can be a top-ten side."

Arsenal head to the Potteries full of confidence, after seeing off Bolton Wanderers twice in the space of four days to move to the top of the Premier League table.

Arsene Wenger's men have confounded many critics to move into serious contention for the league title, with the Frenchman full of admiration for his squad's resilience.

He commented: "I know this team will not give up, they will fight until the end. I think we can mix it - we are certainly much more physically resistant."

Championship Scunthorpe will relish the chance to take centre stage against the Citizens, with Nigel Adkins' men happy to take a break from their fight to avoid relegation.

The Iron go into the game boosted by several positive results in recent weeks, including a stunning 4-1 victory at Derby County.

In round three of the FA Cup a Paul Hayes strike was enough to earn a 1-0 victory over Barnsley, but goals have been something of a problem, with leading scorer Gary Hooper having netted eight times this season.

Midfielder Michael O'Connor will miss out due to suspension, having picked up ten bookings already this season.

Roberto Mancini's Manchester City are on cloud nine after seeing off city rivals United 2-1 in a fiery Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Eastlands in midweek.

Carlos Tevez was again the star of the show and he has now scored 17 goals in 27 appearances since his summer move across Manchester.

Sportsbook favourites City will also be confident after having thumped Scunthorpe 5-1 at Eastlands in a Carling Cup fourth round tie earlier this season.

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