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Manchester City made easy work of the Hammers in the first-leg as they ran out comfortably 6-0 winners at the Etihad Stadium.

The result means City have all but booked their place in the Capital One Cup Final, with the Hammers needing to pull off the one of the biggest comebacks in sporting history to have any chance of making it to Wembley in February.

But if they are to do that, they’ll need to at least match City’s superstars on the Upton Park turf, and even then it may not be enough to overturn a six-goal deficit.

Here are three key battles to look out for at Upton Park in the second-leg.

Mark Noble v Fernandinho

Mark Noble has been one of West Ham’s only consistent performers this season and was instrumental in their 2-0 Premier League victory at Cardiff City.

His love for the club shines through whenever he plays and he’s always found getting stuck in all over the pitch, winning tackles and driving the team forward.

Fernandinho has perhaps been one of City’s quieter performers this season, but that’s not to say he hasn’t performed at all.

And with Samir Nasri now sidelined for up to eight weeks with a ligament injury, the Brazilian will be called upon more often to keep City’s engine room ticking, starting with their trip to Upton Park.

Stewart Downing v Gael Clichy

As one of West Ham’s most experienced players, Downing’s responsibilities have grown somewhat since the Hammers began freefalling in the Premier League and getting beaten in cup competitions.

That said, his ability to whip a good cross in is second to none and, if he can get the better of Clichy on the night then his service will be very difficult to contain, particularly with West Ham’s ever improving forward line.

Clichy’s pace will arguably be key here, with Downing being the quickest of the wingers, his job will be to contain Downing and to show him as far wide as possible, closing down the angles.

Andy Carroll v Vincent Kompany

Having made his long awaited return from injury against Cardiff last weekend, Carroll is expected to be used as Sam Allardyce’s focal point for the remainder of the season, providing he stays fit.

With the England striker in the side, West Ham are a completely different team. His ability to hold up play, as well as his eye for goal, is outstanding and he’ll be looking to make an impact in the second leg as a way of making up for lost time.

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Kompany didn’t have a lot to do in the first leg as City ran riot, limiting the Hammers to just a couple of long-range attempts on goal. But he’ll have a busier night with Andy Carroll standing next to him and will have to nullify the England man’s threat early on, just as he’s used to doing most of the time, if City are to keep a clean sheet.

Get all your Capital OneCup news here »

Leeds United midfielder Michael Tonge says that joining the Whites on loan has been ‘like a breath of fresh air’.

The 29-year-old joined the west Yorkshire club on a three-month loan from Premier League outfit Stoke City and has played a part in two wins and two defeats for United since joining the club two weeks ago.

Arguably the greatest win for Tonge in his short spell at Leeds was in the Whites’ 2-1 surprise victory over Premier League high-flyers Everton in the third round of the Capital One Cup. Goals from youngster Aidan White and Rodolph Austin have set the Championship side with another top-flight opponent in newly-promoted Southampton.

Tonge admits he was delighted with the performance and application his side showed in the win over the Toffees, “I was very impressed. We made a really good start to the game, played with a high tempo and we maintained this tempo throughout the whole match.”

The central midfielder doesn’t believe that Everton would have been taken aback by the quick start that Leeds made to the game, “I don’t think Everton would have been surprised because we are only in the division below.”

The former Sheffield United man believes that the early goal was key and may be imperative in helping Leeds improve their league position, “Although it’s a win the cup, it just keeps up the winning mentality.”

He admits that the fourth round tie against Southampton will be an exciting but difficult challenge, “It’s another home game which is important. Southampton are a tough team though and it will be a tough game.”

Tonge, who has also enjoyed loan spells at Preston, Derby and Barnsley, says he is really enjoying life at Elland Road, “Coming to Leeds has been like a breath of fresh air. It’s nice to see some familiar faces.”

The Leeds loanee, who played under manager Neil Warnock at Sheffield United, says that being reunited with the Whites boss played a part in him coming to the club, “It played a factor but Leeds is a fantastic club anyway.”

Tonge admitted that playing alongside former Blade Michael Brown in the Leeds midfield has been great, “It’s been nice playing with Brown again, who I thought was fantastic against Everton by the way. He was a real catalyst in the midfield and got in Everton’s faces.”

Tonge also expressed his desire to extend his three-month stay at Elland Road, “I’d love to stay for the season but at the moment I’m just taking it week-by-week.”

El Hadji Diouf, who was perhaps the stand out performer for United in their win on Tuesday night, is another of Neil Warnock’s additions to the squad this season, and Tonge was full of praise for his teammate, “I have been impressed, I think he is relishing the opportunity of playing for a club like Leeds.”

As well as Neil Warnock and Michael Brown, Tonge has also been reunited with the number 18 shirt,a number which the midfielder admits he likes to acquire, “Yes it has always been a lucky number, usually when you join a club on loan there is normally numbers available from 15 upwards. I tried to get the number 18 shirt at my other clubs but unfortunately they have been taken so I have had to settle for 19’s and other numbers.”

In the league, Leeds currently lie in twelfth after an inconsistent start to the campaign. Despite this, Tonge is confident the club can push on and sustain a promotion challenge, “The team spirit is really good. A lot of new players have come in and really gelled. Wins always bring players together. Losing Ross [McCormack] is a big blow, but overall I think our performances have been really good.”

Since joining the club, Tonge has been in a United side that lost at Cardiff and to Hull, and most recently defeated Nottingham Forest.

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Tonge believes that the Hull game in particular could have been very different, “Cardiff was a tough game, they are a good side. Against Hull however we could have been three up and out of sight in the first 15 to 20 minutes if we had just capitalised on our chances.”

The United midfielder believes that the Forest game was crucial, “You don’t want to lose three games on the bounce in the Championship so it was really important. Forest are a good team and we put them under a lot of pressure.”

Tonge is also optimistic about overcoming the challenge of Bristol City on Saturday, who have played above expectations this season, “We need to use the Everton game and use it to our advantage. Derek McCinnes is a good manager and he has turned things around there. We don’t want to be worrying about them though, we need to focus on ourselves and focus on what we can do to hurt them.”

According to Portuguese media outlet A Bola, Newcastle United are one of the Premier League clubs interested in signing FC Porto winger Yacine Brahimi, rated at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, this summer.

The 28-year-old only has one year left on his contract, and it appears as though Magpies manager Rafa Benitez could be considering making an ambitious swoop for the left-sided attacker, who helped his club reach the knockout stages of the Champions League this season.

The forward scored 12 goals and provided a further 10 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions for the Portuguese top flight champions, and it would certainly be a huge coup for the Tyneside outfit if they could bring the Algeria international to St James’ Park.

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However, the fact that he is a left winger suggests that Benitez, who can secure a Top 7 finish for his side next season by completing a £16m striker deal, isn’t confident that he will be able to re-sign Chelsea wide man Kenedy following a successful loan spell in the second-half of the 2017/18 campaign, where he showed his quality and quickly became a real fans’ favourite.

We asked Newcastle supporters to vote on our poll to see whether they would prefer to sign the Brazilian or Brahimi, and a whopping 71% said they would rather see the 22-year-old Blues man come back.

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Kenedy’s future may well depend on the Chelsea managerial situation with Antonio Conte’s future seemingly in doubt, but Benitez doesn’t appear to be hanging around in finding potential alternatives.

According to The Sunday Post, Southampton are considering a £10m offer for Celtic midfielder Stuart Armstrong during this month’s transfer window.

What’s the story?

It is no secret that Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino wants to improve his squad during the January transfer window, with the Saints sitting just outside the relegation zone in the Premier League following a disappointing 2017-18 campaign to date.

Arsenal’s Theo Walcott and Monaco’s Guido Carrillo are amongst those that have been linked with moves, but according to The Sunday Post, Southampton’s attention is currently on Celtic midfielder Armstrong.

The report claims that the Saints are preparing to make a £10m offer this month after being knocked back in their move for the 25-year-old during the summer window.

Southampton have money to spend following the £75m sale of Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool, and it appears that Pellegrino wants to boost his midfield options with the arrival of Armstrong from the Scottish champions.

What would Armstrong bring to Southampton?

Armstrong joined Celtic from Dundee United in the summer of 2015, and the midfielder has managed 26 goals in 134 appearances for his Scottish club in all competitions.

Last term, Armstrong netted an impressive 17 goals – including 15 in just 31 Scottish Premiership appearances, which is some return from a midfield player.

This season, the four-time Scotland international has managed four goals and five assists in 33 appearances in all competitions.

Having landed six major trophies during his time at Celtic Park, Armstrong would certainly bring a winning mentality to the Saints.

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It is always difficult to ascertain whether a player in the Scottish Premiership has the potential to thrive in the English Premier League, but Armstrong’s performances over the last 12 months have been very impressive indeed.

For £10m – in the current market – Southampton could have a real bargain on their hands.

You can understand Arsene Wenger’s dislike, perhaps even disdain for the January transfer window. With it comes a mountain of expectation to spend, yet without any real concern for the quality being purchased.

Some have labelled it stubbornness to proceed with what he has, using those acquired during the summer window as his only buys of each particular season. But is it so stubborn, with considerations for the economic climate and the impeding rules set by UEFA, for Wenger to ignore over-priced yet under-skilled players for his Arsenal team?

Following Nicklas Bendtner’s goal in the 2-0 win over Hull last week, the immediate feeling within the club was that Wenger would persevere with what he had and properly strengthen in the summer. Problem? Well yes and no. The issue is that Arsenal, in a very good position to land a major piece of silverware this season, do need reinforcements. At least that’s the general consensus from those on the outside looking in. The second problem that clashes with the first is that January is hardly ever the time to buy top class players.

Luis Suarez may have been bought by Liverpool in the January window, but the Uruguayan is an exception to the rule. Further examples are that of Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra going to Manchester United midway through a season. However, both were brought in with views to the long term. Evra hardly had the best of times in those initial months in English football.

It’s not to say it can’t be done, it’s more to say that it’s exceedingly difficult. Karim Benzema may have been a high-end striker on the market next month, but the Frenchman has returned to form at Real Madrid, who may just decide now to hang onto him until the summer. Robert Lewandowski, of whom there is no doubt about his quality, will not move in January. Dortmund had the chance to sell and pocket a profit on the Pole in the summer, but they were clear in their message that they would not succumb to pressure from either the player or Bayern Munich. Why, then, would they sell in January?

The thing is Arsenal’s “depth problem” has been blown massively out of proportion. This is a club who are perennially hit by the injury bug – or plague, as is more fitting. But those who wish to discredit Wenger’s side for their credentials in this season’s title race have done so without any mention of Lukas Podolski, an international forward who is capable of playing through the middle, and Theo Walcott, who has just returned from long-term injury and who had the most purple of purple patches in an Arsenal shirt at centre-forward last season. What does that amount to? Four strikers at Wenger’s disposal. The issue is of quality, not of quantity.

Wenger will no doubt feel the heat from certain sections of the Arsenal support if he chooses not to buy in January – and I’m speaking specifically of a centre-forward. At Schalke, Julian Draxler may be the next high-profile signing for Arsenal. The German club have just secured Sidney Sam from Bayer Leverkusen, though with the transfer taking place in the summer, so further logs have been thrown onto that particular transfer fire. But it would be understandable if Wenger didn’t bring in the marquee striker so many are calling out for. Of course, the solution was to buy one last summer, whether it was shelling out an extra £10 million on Gonzalo Higuain or closing the deal on Stevan Jovetic. But importantly, Arsenal are not, at present, in crucial need of another striker in January.

The other issue is the World Cup in the summer. Not only will players not want to disrupt their preparations ahead of such an important tournament, but also think of the number of players who will become available during the summer window. First there are the players who rise to fame during the tournament in Brazil, but also those who they may be replacing at other clubs around Europe. The time to strengthen properly and with a player who is deemed a first-choice target is the summer, not in January, when few of required skill are available. Remember when Arsenal were linked with Mohamed Diame last January? In January, instead of getting a Karim Benzema, you get a Bafe Gomis; next summer, players like Mario Mandzukic will be available.

So what can Wenger do in January? The problem may not be numbers, but the team are likely to need a boost of confidence to get them over the line. A loan signing is an option. It’s hugely unlikely that Chelsea will buckle next month and loan Demba Ba to Arsenal after declining on that very deal in the summer. What about a younger, unknown player from one of the “lesser” leagues around Europe? The difficulty, though, is in finding a player who fits that description but who is also able to make a contribution this season. Finally, there’s the “Henrik Larsson move.” Manchester United brought in the Swedish veteran to aid in their title bid in 2007. It was a short-term, low-cost move that paid off. Arsenal could pursue something similar next month to help get them through to the summer.

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With Podolski on his way back and Walcott and Bendtner offering alternatives, there are options in house for Wenger. But despite the boost that the team and fans will get with a new face in January, I wouldn’t begrudge or bemoan Wenger’s decision to stick with what he has.

It’s not stubbornness. Considering the pressures of modern football, you have to praise the manager who chooses to avoid the costly, quick-fix option just to appease others.

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Tottenham are unlikely to rekindle their interest in Joao Moutinho in January, according to Andre Villas-Boas.

Spurs worked tirelessly on transfer deadline day to get a £22m deal secured for the Portuguese playmaker, but were thwarted in their efforts after failing to agree a deal with a third party owner of the Porto Player.

Villas-Boas believes that January proves an expensive time to conduct transfer business and also feels that the club are well covered this season:

“We were prepared for missing out on that player.

“We set our sights on that player in the end of the transfer window – we couldn’t conclude the deal but we were ready if that failed.

“It’s not likeable that we go back in January. Generally the market is very difficult and very expensive, and it’s highly unlikely that we will continue to pursue that transfer because by then we will have Parker coming back, and he’s a player that we want to come back as soon as possible.

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“He’s a player who had maximum importance for this club last season and we feel that he can add so much to the squad that we are waiting for the moment when he can come back, so it’s just a question that we have to reassess at that time.” (Sky Sports)

Tottenham travel to the Madjeski Stadium tomorrow afternoon in search of their first win of the season.

Manchester United are close to making Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred their first transfer arrival of the summer, according to the Manchester Evening News.

What’s the story, then?

The report says that United are keen to do the deal for the Brazilian before the World Cup in Russia kicks off on June 14 and that he could have a medical as early as next week.

It goes on to say that the release clause in his contract of 60 million euros has not proved an issue in negotiations as Jose Mourinho made plain his desire to bring the player in to replace Michael Carrick in midfield.

It also says that Fred himself is keen to get the deal over the line before the big kick-off in Russia and that he is so keen on a move to United that he flew to Manchester on deadline day on the off-chance of finalising a move to Old Trafford.

Fred is an unknown quantity

The midfielder is highly-rated and it would appear that Mourinho thinks he is the man who can add dynamism and quality to his engine room but it remains to be seen how he adapts to English football.

United will be hoping he is another Fernandinho, whose energy meant he took to life in Manchester right away but the fact remains that it is a risk to sign someone unproven in this country.

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According to the reliable @ExWHUemployee on the latest episode of The West Ham Way radio show, West Ham United have made Jonjo Shelvey their top midfield target during the January transfer window, and Irons fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.Hammers boss David Moyes is keen to bring in a new central midfielder this month after former boss Slaven Bilic failed to get Sporting Lisbon’s William Carvalho during the summer, and Shelvey is rumoured to be his priority target.The likes of Pedro Obiang and Cheikhou Kouyate have struggled for form this season, but the same could also be said about the Magpies midfielder, who has been sent off twice already this term.West Ham supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the potential addition of the 25-year-old, and while one said ‘I rate Shelvey more than N’Zonzi’ after the Sevilla man had been linked previously, another said he would be an “awful signing”.Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

The FIFA Interactive World Cup (FIWC) 2014 kicks off today, with the tournament set to come closer to the FIFA World Cup™ than ever before. The FIWC is now open to millions of competitors from all over the world who will be battling to secure one of 20 coveted places in the Grand Final of the event, which will be hosted in Rio de Janeiro during the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ by FIFA and Presenting Partners EA SPORTS™ and PlayStation®.

This will be the first time ever that the FIWC Grand Final has taken place in the Host Nation of the FIFA World Cup, adding an extra incentive for the eventual winner to be crowned world champion in the same country as the world’s best team in July 2014.

A ceremonial first game of the FIWC 14 tournament was played yesterday at the Maracana by Brazilian FIWC champion Andre Buffo, a past Grand Finalist, and 2014 FIFA World Cup Official Mascot Fuleco. FIFA World Cup Champion and 2014 FIFA World Cup LOC Board Member Ronaldo also sent a good-luck message to all FIWC competitors:

“To be crowned a FIFA World Champion is an incredibly special moment” said Ronaldo, who scored the winning goals in the Final of the 2002 FIFA World Cup™. “Usually this honour is limited to the very best professional football players. I think it’s fantastic that the FIFA Interactive World Cup makes that dream a possibility for football fans all over the world and I’m looking forward to experiencing the event next year in Rio”.

Last year’s edition of the tournament attracted more than 2.5 million competitors from across the globe, climaxing in Madrid where French star Bruce ‘the machine’ Grannec secured his World Champion title as well as 20,000 USD and the chance to meet the world’s greatest football players as a special guest at the FIFA Ballon d’Or in January.

Qualification for this year’s event will take place over six separate 1-month-long seasons. In keeping with the tradition of previous editions, the top two online players from each season will qualify for the Grand Final. Additionally, for the first time in FIWC history, a third ‘best-placed’ qualification spot will be handed out every season to the player deemed the winner of the Community Qualifier. This new online format ensures that the FIWC Grand Final is more accessible than ever before and emphasizes quality of online games over quantity. FIWC Players are awarded a win/lose ratio based on a minimum of 30 games played over an online season. The player with the best win/lose ratio at the end of a season wins the Community Qualifier seat.

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In addition to the 20 Grand Final participants, FIFA and PlayStation will also be offering other competitors the opportunity to travel to Brazil, experience the FIWC Grand Final and watch one of the FIFA World Cup™ matches live in the stadium. For more information on the FIWC and to become part of the FIWC community please visit www.fifa.com/fiwc andwww.facebook.com/fiwc or follow the event on Twitter @FIWC.

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According to The Telegraph, it was evident during Stoke City’s 2-2 draw at Wigan Athletic on Saturday that the introduction of Charlie Adam affected the way the Potters went about their game.

The Scottish international Adam replaced Andy Wilkinson in the 36th minute with Stoke 1-0 down in the match.  The 26-year-old would have been keen to make a good impression after a disappointing season at Liverpool where he failed to make a real impact at Anfield at was surplus to requirements by Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.

Adam had said on Friday that he would adapt his technical style of play in order to suit Stoke’s direct style, “the club has been successful in the way that it has played in the last five years and the manager wanted to bring me in to add to the quality that he has. I’m not going to change the way Stoke play. I’m just another part of the jigsaw.”

This piece of the jigsaw appeared evident during the draw at the DW Stadium on Saturday. Adam was at the very core of all the set-pieces and of moments of innovation from Stoke City. Pulis feels that Adam will provide the creative spark that perhaps has been lacking from their play in recent seasons. The Stoke manager will also be hoping that Adam will bring the best out of 6 foot 7 striker Peter Crouch, who, with his aerial ability is the model target man in the Premier League.

Stoke have mustered just one league win in their previous 14 outings. The central midfield area is a position where Pulis has definitely looked to strengthen his squad. As well as signing Adam from Liverpool on transfer deadline day, the Potters also brought in Steven N’Zonzi from Blackburn Rovers and Maurice Edu from Rangers.

In addition, Pulis also signed American defender Geoff Cameron from Houston Dynamo, who is reportedly a long-throw specialist. In an attempt to overturn Stoke’s recent dismal run, the Stoke manager may arguably be looking for upgrades on players such as Glenn Whelan and Rory Delap.

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Adam began his career at Rangers where he never managed to break into the first-team. Subsequently, he had loan spells at Ross County and St. Mirren before coming to England to join Blackpool on loan. It was at the Seasiders where Adam enjoyed the happiest spell of his career, scoring arguably the greatest goal in a play-off final against Cardiff City in May 2010.

Adam almost made the perfect start for his new side, when in the dying embers of the game, a deflected free-kick forced Wigan goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi into making what many pundits are already arguing as a contender for save of the season. The Latics manager Roberto Martinez was full of praise for Al-Habsi’s crucial save, “We see him making those saves as something normal. And that’s the best compliment I can give him.”

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