WEST HAM UNITED v STOKE CITY
CARLING CUP - FOURTH ROUND
WEDNESDAY 27 OCTOBER 2010
KICK-OFF: 7.45PM
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Introduction
• West Ham United host Stoke City in the Carling Cup fourth round, aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since the 2007/08 season.
• The Hammers reached the last 16 by defeating League Two new boys Oxford United 1-0 at home and fellow Barclays Premier League side Sunderland 2-1 away from home.
• Stoke have been at home in each of their opening two Carling Cup ties this season, defeating League Two outfit Shrewsbury Town 2-1 before overcoming Premier League Fulham in the third round.
• West Ham picked up their first Premier League point of the season at Stoke on Saturday 18 September. Scott Parker netted a first-half opener at the Britannia Stadium before Kenwyne Jones headed in an equaliser after the break.
• West Ham and Stoke have met three times previously in the League Cup. The first meeting, in the 1971/72 semi-finals, saw the Potters prevail 3-2 in a second replay at Old Trafford. In 1982/83, the Hammers won 3-2 on aggregate in the second round before prevailing 5-1 on aggregate at the same stage in 1990/91.
• West Ham manager Avram Grant guided Portsmouth to a 4-0 Carling Cup fourth-round victory over Stoke last season. Frederic Piquionne scored twice in that tie at Fratton Park.
Wednesday's team news
West Ham United
• Right-back Lars Jacobsen will definitely miss Wednesday's game as he is cup-tied. Jacobsen featured for Blackburn Rovers in their second-round victory over Norwich City in August. Julien Faubert could deputise as his three-match ban for a reserves red card does not start until Birmingham away on 6 November.
• Captain and centre-back Matthew Upson is likely to miss the tie after picking up a minor hamstring injury in Saturday's 2-1 Premier League defeat by Newcastle United.
• Forward Frederic Piquionne is struggling to be fit after suffering a knock during the second half of the Newcastle defeat. Should the France international not make it, his place could go to South Africa forward Benni McCarthy.
• Frank Nouble is back at the club after being recalled early from his three-month loan at Swansea City.
• The Hammers will definitely be without Thomas Hitzlsperger (thigh), Jack Collison, Zavon Hines and Peter Kurucz (all knee).
Stoke City
• Stoke City will definitely be without Mali international striker Mamady Sidibe, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2010/11 season after suffering a ruptured achilles in the 2-1 home Barclays Premier League defeat by Tottenham Hotspur on 21 August.
• Jamaica forward Ricardo Fuller is struggling to be fit for the tie after suffering a shoulder injury. The man who scored Stoke's winner in their 1-0 Premier League victory at the Boleyn Ground last season was not risked in Sunday's 2-1 home defeat by Manchester United.
Previous meetings
• The most recent meeting between the two sides was on 18 September 2010, when 27,028 supporters saw them draw 1-1 in a Barclays Premier League fixture at the Britannia Stadium. Scott Parker put West Ham United ahead from close-range on 32 minutes, only for Kenwyne Jones to head in an equaliser three minutes after half-time.
The lineups were:
Stoke City: Sorensen, Huth, Faye, Collins, Shawcross, Delap, Etherington, Pennant (Whelan 83), Whitehead, Walters (Fuller 66), Jones (Gudjohnsen 73)
Subs not used: Begovic, Wilkinson, Higginbotham, Wilson,
West Ham United: Green, Gabbidon, Jacobsen, Upson, Da Costa, Parker, Noble, Behrami (Kovac 52), Piquionne, Cole, Obinna (Boa Morte 89)
Subs not used: Faubert, Stech, Tomkins, Barrera, McCarthy
• Wednesday's game marks the 80th time West Ham and Stoke have faced one another in competitive fixtures, and the ninth in the League Cup. West Ham have won 31, Stoke 29 and there have been 19 draws. In this competition, West Ham have won four, Stoke two and two matches have been drawn.
Overall record
v Stoke City (all competitions) W 31 D 19 L 29
Last time out
• West Ham United were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United at the Boleyn Ground on Saturday 23 October. The Hammers went ahead on 12 minutes when Carlton Cole slid home from Frederic Piquionne's cross-shot. Barclays Premier League new boys Newcastle equalised through Kevin Nolan eleven minutes later before Andy Carroll headed in Joey Barton's cross to score the winner after half-time.
23 October 2010
Barclays Premier League
West Ham United 1-2 Newcastle United
West Ham United: Green, Jacobsen, Gabbidon, Upson (Ilunga 53), Da Costa, Parker, Noble, Behrami (Barrera 76), Piquionne (McCarthy 68), Cole, Obinna
Subs not used: Stech, Ben Haim, Boa Morte, Faubert
• Stoke City were defeated 2-1 at home by Manchester United in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday. Javier Hernandez put United ahead midway through the first half with an expertly-taken header. Stoke substitute Tuncay Sanli equalised with nine minutes remaining, only for Hernandez to snatch all three points with four minutes to go.
24 October 2010
Barclays Premier League
Stoke City 1-2 Manchester United
Stoke City: Sorensen, Huth, Faye, Collins (Higginbotham 57), Wilson, Shawcross, Delap, Etherington, Pennant (Gudjohnsen 79), Walters (Tuncay 66), Jones
Subs not used: Begovic, Whelan, Pugh, Wilkinson
West Ham United
• West Ham United are seeking to reach the Carling Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2007/08. Carlton Cole's goal saw the Hammers win 1-0 at Coventry City in the fourth round before being defeated by Everton in the last-eight.
• West Ham possess the seventh-best record in Carling Cup history. The Hammers have contested 194 ties, winning 100, drawing 39 and losing 55. West Ham have scored 361 goals and conceded 233 in those matches.
Stoke City
• Stoke City are aiming to reach the Carling Cup quarter-finals for the second time in three seasons. The Potters got to the last-eight in 2008/09, where they were beaten by a Derby County side including on-loan West Ham United defender James Tomkins.
• Stoke brought in two strikers to boost their attacking options. Jon Walters was snapped up from Ipswich Town for £2.75m, while the club splashed out £8m to bring in Trinidad and Tobago international Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland. Iceland forward Eidur Gudjohnsen was snapped up from AS Monaco on a permanent contract, while midfielder Salif Diao rejoined the club on a free contract. Winger Jermaine Pennant has been brought in on loan from Spanish club Real Zaragoza. Finally, defender Marc Wilson has arrived from Portsmouth.
• The Potters allowed young striker Nathaniel Wedderburn to join Northampton Town on a free transfer, veteran defender Andy Griffin to join Reading for an undisclosed fee, while England striker James Beattie left for Scottish giants Rangers, also for an undisclosed fee. Striker Dave Kitson joined Portsmouth on transfer deadline day as part of the deal that took Marc Wilson to Stoke, but team-mate Liam Lawrence missed the transfer deadline and has instead joined Pompey on an emergency loan until January 2011.
• Diego Arismendi has joined Barnsley on loan, while Ibrahima Sonko and Carl Dickinson have also linked up with Portsmouth on a temporary basis. Ben Marshall has been loaned to Carlisle United.
• Stoke have the 34th-best record in the history of the Premier League. The Potters have contested 80 matches, winning 24, drawing 23 and losing 33. Stoke have scored 76 goals in those matches, conceding 110. In all, Stoke have collected 95 Premier League points.
Ten-year League Cup records
West Ham United
2009/10 Third round (lost 1-3 after extra time at Bolton Wanderers)
2008/09 Third round (lost 0-1 at Watford)
2007/08 Quarter-final (lost 1-2 v Everton)
2006/07 Third round (lost 1-2 at Chesterfield)
2005/06 Third round (lost 0-1 at Bolton Wanderers)
2004/05 Third round (lost 0-1 at Chelsea)
2003/04 Third round (lost 0-1 after extra time at Tottenham Hotspur)
2002/03 Third round (lost 0-1 v Oldham Athletic)
2001/02 Second round (lost 6-5 on penalties following 0-0 draw at Reading)
2000/01 Fourth round (lost 1-2 v Sheffield Wednesday)
Stoke City
2009/10 Fourth round (lost 0-4 at Portsmouth)
2008/09 Quarter-final (lost 0-1 v Derby County)
2007/08 First round (lost 4-2 on penalties following 2-2 draw at Rochdale)
2006/07 First round (lost 1-2 v Darlington)
2005/06 First round (lost 3-0 on penalties following 1-1 draw at Mansfield)
2004/05 First round (lost 1-2 at Oldham Athletic)
2003/04 Second round (lost 0-2 v Gillingham)
2002/03 First round (lost 1-0 at Bury)
2001/02 First round (lost 6-5 on penalties following 0-0 draw v Oldham Athletic)
2000/01 Fourth round (lost 0-8 v Liverpool)
Old boys
• West Ham first-team coach Kevin Keen made 201 league and cup appearances for Stoke between October 1994 and September 2000, scoring 12 goals. Keen, a former West Ham apprentice, made 279 league and cup appearances for the Hammers between March 1984 and July 1993, scoring 30 goals.
• Stoke winger Matthew Etherington made 195 appearances for West Ham between August 2003 and January 2009, scoring 18 goals. He joined the Potters on 8 January 2009, having moved to the Boleyn Ground from Tottenham Hotspur five-and-a-half years previously.
• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are Clive Clarke, Bob Dixon, Sir Geoff Hurst, Lawrie Leslie, Nicky Morgan, Henri Camara and Frank Richardson.
Wednesday's officials
Referee - Howard Webb
Assistant referees - Stephen Child and Jake Collin
Fourth Official - Keith Stroud
• Howard Webb took charge of the 2010 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands in South Africa.
• Webb began officiating in Yorkshire in 1989. Webb was appointed as a Football League assistant referee in 1996, fulfilling the same role in the Barclays Premier League in 1998.
• The 39-year-old took charge of his first Barclays Premier League match as a referee in October 2003 and has since been the man-in-the-middle for a host of high-profile fixtures.
• Webb also refereed the 2005 FA Community Shield, 2006 FA Trophy final and 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, as well as taking charge of his first UEFA Champions League match in 2006. The former police officer was referee for the 2007 Carling Cup final and was selected as England's representative at Euro 2008, taking charge of the first match of the tournament between Austria and Poland and the Group D fixture between Greece and eventual champions Spain.
• Webb has taken charge of West Ham United once before this season, refereeing the 2-1 Carling Cup third-round victory at Sunderland. The former police officer was also in charge of Stoke City's 1-0 Barclays Premier League victory over Blackburn Rovers.
Next up
• West Ham United travel to the Emirates to take on Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday afternoon, with kick-off at 3pm.
• Stoke City travel to Goodison Park to face Everton in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday, with kick-off at 3pm.
General information
• Wednesday's weather forecast is for light rain with a maximum daytime temperature of 16C (61F) in east London.
• Tickets are available at reduced rates for Wednesday's tie. Season ticket holders can buy tickets for just £15 for adults and £5 for children. Non-season ticket holders can buy tickets for £20 for adults and £10 for children.