Sunderland v West Ham United
Carling Cup third round
Stadium of Light
Tuesday 21 September 2010
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Referee: Howard Webb
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Introduction
• West Ham United travel to Sunderland searching for a place in the Carling Cup fourth round for the first time in three seasons.
• Avram Grant's side reached the third round by defeating League Two challengers Oxford United (1-0) in the second round on Tuesday 24 August. West Ham's goal was scored in added-time by Scott Parker.
• Sunderland went through to the third round by defeating League One promotion-chasers Colchester United (2-0) at the Stadium of Light. Both Black Cats goals were scored by England striker Darren Bent.
• West Ham manager Grant and centre-back Tal Ben Haim will both return after being absent from Saturday's game out of respect for the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.
• West Ham reached this stage of the competition last season before being knocked out by the same scoreline over 120 minutes away to Bolton Wanderers. The 2010/11 final will be held at Wembley Stadium on 27 February 2011.
• The Hammers have reached the League Cup final twice in their history, losing out on both occasions. West Bromwich Albion ran out 5-3 aggregate winners in 1965/66, while Liverpool earned a 2-1 replay victory at Villa Park in 1980/81 after the initial game at finished 1-1 at Wembley.
• Sunderland reached the League Cup final in 1984/85, losing 1-0 to Norwich City at Wembley.
• West Ham's biggest ever win away at Sunderland came on 9 September 1967, when goals from Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst (two), Harry Redknapp and Bobby Moore helped them to a 5-1 victory. The Hammers' biggest ever win over Sunderland came in the shape of an 8-0 success at the Boleyn Ground on 19 October 1968. Geoff Hurst scored six goals - including a hat-trick in each half - while Bobby Moore and a young Trevor Brooking added one apiece.
• Sunderland's biggest ever win over West Ham came on 5 March 1977, when the Black Cats romped to a 6-0 victory over the Londoners. Their best performance in east London was a 3-0 triumph on 25 April 1931.
Team news
West Ham United
• Lars Jacobsen is cup-tied having appeared previously in the competition for Blackburn Rovers.
• England midfielder Kieron Dyer could return to the squad after missing Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Stoke City. The 31-year-old has recently returned to match-fitness following a long-term leg injury and is being carefully managed by the club's medical staff.
• Defender Tal Ben Haim is available again after missing Saturday's match to respect the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.
• South Africa striker Benni McCarthy could appear for the first time since the Carling Cup second-round victory over Oxford United on 24 August after working hard on his fitness during the recent international break.
• The Hammers will again be without Thomas Hitzlsperger after the 28-year-old picked up a thigh injury during Germany's international friendly draw in Denmark last month.
• Valon Behrami is also to be assessed after a knock to his right knee on Saturday. It is not linked to his previous knee injury, which affected his left leg.
• Peter Kurucz, Jack Collison, Zavon Hines and Anthony Edgar on the long-term injured list are all recovering from knee surgery. Kurucz and Edgar have recently undergone surgery, while Collison and Hines are regular visitors to Chadwell Heath as they continue their rehabilitation.
Sunderland
• Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon is still not fit enough to feature after recovering from a broken arm during the club's pre-season preparations.
• Ghana FIFA World Cup defender John Mensah is struggling to be fit after suffering a hamstring injury in training. His compatriot Asamoah Gyan could start in attack.
• Former Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur forward Fraizer Campbell is sidelined for the remainder of the season with a serious knee ligament injury. Irish midfielder David Meyler will also be out until March 2011 with a similar problem.
• Former England Under-21 midfielder Lee Cattermole is suspended after being sent-off in the Barclays Premier League draw with Wigan Athletic on 11 September.
Previous meetings
• The most recent meeting between the two sides was on 10 April 2010, when Ilan's 51st-minute goal secured a vital Barclays Premier League victory for West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground. A 34,685-strong crowd were present to see the Hammers pick up three valuable points in their ultimately successful fight against relegation.
The lineups were:
West Ham United: Green, Faubert, Spector, Da Costa, Upson, Kovac, Noble, Behrami, Stanislas (Franco 74), Cole, Ilan (Daprela 89)
Subs not used: Kurucz, Gabbidon, Spence, Diamanti, McCarthy
Sunderland: Gordon, Ferdinand, Turner, Da Silva (Benjani 88), Richardson, Cattermole, Meyler (Jones 63), Henderson, Malbranque (Zenden 72), Bent, Campbell
Subs not used: Carson, Kilgallon, Hutton, Bardsley
• Tuesday's game marks the 80th time West Ham and Sunderland have faced one another in competitive fixtures, and the sixth in the Carling Cup. West Ham have won 31, Sunderland 28 and there have been 20 draws. In this competition, West Ham have won three, Sunderland one and one tie has been drawn.
Overall record v Sunderland (all competitions) W 31 D 20 L 28
Last time out
• West Ham United
18 September 2010
Barclays Premier League
Stoke City - West Ham United
West Ham United: Green, Jacobsen, Ben-Haim, Upson, Ilunga, Parker, Noble, Behrami (Piquionne 72), Boa Morte (Dyer 45), Cole, Obinna
Subs not used: Stech, Kovac, Faubert, Tomkins, Barrera
• Sunderland
18 September 2010
Barclays Premier League
Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal
Sunderland: Mignolet, Bramble, Ferdinand, Onuoha (Zenden 77), Richardson, Riveros (Gyan 64), Al Muhammadi, Henderson, Malbranque (Reid 86), Bent, Welbeck
Subs not used: Carson, Bardsley, Da Silva, Colback
West Ham United
• Valon Behrami scored his first goal for West Ham United in the club's 1-0 Premier League victory at the Stadium of Light on 23 November 2008.
• The Hammers brought in eight new players this summer - Obinna, Jacobsen, Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, Mexico winger Pablo Barrera, France forward Frederic Piquionne, New Zealand defender Winston Reid, Belgian goalkeeper Ruud Boffin and Israel defender Tal Ben Haim, who has arrived on loan from Grant's former club Portsmouth.
• Five senior players left the Boleyn Ground during the summer transfer window - Alessandro Diamanti and Fabio Daprela both joined Italian Serie A new boys Brescia Calcio on permanent contracts. Brazilian Ilan was released at the end of his short-term contract, Egyptian Mido returned to Middlesbrough following the end of his loan spell and has since joined Ajax, while Mexican Guillermo Franco was released at the end of his one-year contract.
• Teenage midfielder Josh Payne was released and subsequently joined Doncaster Rovers before being loaned to Oxford United. Academy graduate Bondz 'Gala has linked up with Plymouth Argyle on a permanent basis.
• West Ham possess the eighth best record in League Cup history. The Hammers have contested 193 ties, winning 99 drawing 39 and losing 55. During that period, West Ham have scored 359 goals and conceded just 232.
Sunderland
• .The Black Cats have lost just once this season and came back to draw with a late, late goal against Arsenal on Sunday.
• Darren Bent has picked up where he left off last season with three goals from his first five league matches.
• Sunderland have been busy this summer signing nine new players, namely Ahmed El Mohamady (ENPPI, loan), Marcos Angeleri (Estudiantes), Titus Bramble (Wigan Athletic), Asamoah Gyan (Stade Rennes), John Mensah (Olympique Lyonnais), Simon Mignolet (Sint-Truiden), Nedum Onuoha (Manchester City), Cristian Riveros (Cruz Azul), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United, loan).
• Among the notable departures were former captain Lorik Cana to Galatasaray and Kenwyne Jones to Stoke City.
• Sunderland have the 29th-best record in the history of the League Cup. The Black Cats have contested 149 ties, winning 63, drawing 34 and losing 52. Sunderland have scored 242 goals in those matches, conceding 215.
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)
Sunderland
2009/10 Fourth round (lost 1-3 on penalties following 0-0 draw with Aston Villa)
2008/09 Fourth round (lost 1-2 v Blackburn Rovers)
2007/08 Second round (lost 0-3 at Luton Town)
2006/07 First round (lost 0-2 at Bury)
2005/06 Third round (lost 0-3 v Arsenal)
2004/05 Second round (lost 2-4 on penalties following 3-3 draw at Crewe Alexandra)
2003/04 Second round (lost 2-4 v Huddersfield Town)
2002/03 Fourth round (lost 0-2 at Sheffield United)
2001/02 Second round (lost 2-4 at Sheffield Wednesday)
2000/01 Quarter-final (lost 1-2 at Crystal Palace)
Old boys
• Anton Ferdinand began his career at West Ham's famed Academy, making 163 appearances and scoring five goals for the Hammers before joining Sunderland in August 2008.
• Left-back George McCartney, who joined Sunderland in summer 2008, spent two seasons at the Boleyn Ground, making 71 appearances and scoring one goal for West Ham. The Northern Ireland defender made 157 appearances during his first spell with Sunderland before joining the Hammers in August 2006.
• Midfielder Kieran Richardson began his career at West Ham, but failed to make a first team appearance before joining Manchester United in 2002. The 24-year-old joined Sunderland in July 2007.
• Among the other players who have represented both clubs are Dick Bell, Gary Breen, Clive Clarke, Keith Coleman, Ernest England, John Foreman, Harry Forster, Jack Foster, Harry Hooper, Don Hutchison, Mick McGiven, Andy Melville, Billy Moore, Bryan 'Pop' Robson and Dave Swindlehurst.
Tuesday's officials
Referee - Howard Webb
Assistant referees - D S Bryan and A J Madley
Fourth Official - C H Webster
• .2010 FIFA World Cup final referee Howard Webb is fresh from officiating in Sunday's major meeting between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, which the home side won 3-2.
• 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 38-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, not least last summer's World Cup final when Spain won 1-0 against the Netherlands.
• 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.
Next up
• West Ham United play host to Tottenham Hotspur at the Boleyn Ground in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday 25 September, with kick-off at 3pm.
• Sunderland travel to Liverpool in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday 25 September, with kick-off at 3pm.
General information
• Tuesday's weather forecast is for sunny intervals with a maximum daytime temperature of 17C (63F) in Sunderland.