Previews

Mancini targets Cup success

Author: Lynda Collins
Date: 06/01/2010
Football betting

It's an all-Manchester battle in the first leg of the second Carling Cup semi-final on Wednesday evening.

City play host to United at the City of Manchester Stadium hoping to build on a 100 per cent start under the guidance of new manager Roberto Mancini - who controversially replaced Mark Hughes last month.

Mancini has won three out of three, with the latest success a 1-0 FA Cup third round victory at Middlesbrough.

Afterwards the Italian spoke of the importance of cup competitions to City, saying: "I like cup football and I want to do well in the FA Cup as well as the Carling Cup."

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Mancini will have to make do without Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor, who are both away on African Cup of Nations duty, while Stephen Ireland (hamstring) also misses out and Shaun Wright-Phillips (ankle) and Roque Santa Cruz (calf) are both major doubts.

United head to Eastlands looking to forget about a weekend cup shock, when they were dumped out of the FA Cup by League One leaders Leeds United.

Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson has vowed to stick with the young players who have got United to the last four, meaning that the likes of Danny Welbeck and Darron Gibson are certain starters.

Meanwhile, Arsenal can move to within one point of the Premier League summit if they are able to see off managerless Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday evening.

The Gunners can overtake United with a win and heap more pressure on a stuttering Chelsea side.

Arsene Wenger's men have taken 13 points from a possible 15 in their last five league games and are confounding the critics who suggested that they would be unable to mount a title challenge this season.

Arsenal's excellent form has come despite a number of injuries to key players, with Robin van Persie likely to miss the rest of the season due to ankle ligament damage. Skipper Cesc Fabregas is also unlikely to feature due to a hamstring strain.

Bolton travel to the capital buoyed by a 4-0 win over Lincoln City in the FA Cup third round, but still under a cloud following the sacking of manager Gary Megson.

In the Premier League, the Trotters currently lie down in 18th place and are one of the online favourites to be relegated, although they are unbeaten in their last four league outings, having drawn three and won 3-1 at home to fellow strugglers West Ham United.

Midfielder Sean Davis, whose season has been ended by a serious knee injury, is the only major absentee for the visitors.

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