MANCHESTER City midfielder Nigel de Jong is available again for the Barclays Premier League match against West Ham at Upton Park on Sunday.
De Jong sat out the UEFA Cup victory over FC Copenhagen as he was ineligible.
Winger Shaun Wright-Phillips is sidelined through suspension while Gelson Fernandes remains doubtful with a hamstring strain.
Boss Mark Hughes is hoping is players are beginning to come to terms with the pressures of playing for the world's richest club.
He said: "We have a group of players who understand the demands that are going to be placed on them now and in the future.
"The expectation levels have been way ahead of any Manchester City team probably in the history of the club and we're dealing with it.
"The aim is to get a consistent run of form away from home as we have found it difficult on the road. We have another opportunity to show what we can do when we face West Ham.
"We have had a lot of criticism and rightly so but the manner of the performance at Liverpool will hopefully have given us confidence. It was a good display.
"Our problem in the past is we have been unable to see out games. We have not had the right tools.
"You need a different mentality and a different approach when you are away from home. But we are learning as a group all the time and gaining experience."
West Ham will be without midfielder Mark Noble as he serves a one-match suspension.
Jack Collison looks set to come into the starting XI, but defender James Collins (hamstring) is out after missing the midweek FA Cup replay defeat at Middlesbrough.
Luis Boa Morte (groin), Kieron Dyer (calf), Danny Gabbidon (stomach/back) and striker Dean Ashton (ankle) remain sidelined.
West Ham United (from): Green, Neill, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Collison, Kovac, Cole, Di Michele, Lastuvka, Lopez, Savio, Spector, Tristan, Sears.
Manchester City (from): Given, Hart, Schmeichel, Richards, Onuoha, Dunne, Kompany, Bridge, Garrido, Zabaleta, Elano, Caicedo, Ireland, de Jong, Fernandes, Robinho, Bellamy, Vassell, Weiss, Logan.
West Ham league form: WWDLL
City league form: WLWLD
Key opponent: David Di Michele - tricky Italian can do damage if given space
Prediction: West Ham 2 City 2 - it should be a decent game between two ambitious sides
Agree with the prediction? Have your say.
You can get 14/1 on a 2-2 draw with Betfred. For this and more odds, click
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
One Love, One Life, One CITYYYYY 1990 (27/02/2009 at 14:55)
Nick,The Voice of Reason,, caterham,Surrey,(Blackley Born & Bred) (27/02/2009 at 14:59)
Stephen Irelands Bald Head, Hyde (27/02/2009 at 15:09)
If we can keep Cole/Di Michele quiet then I think we can win this 2 or 3-1, however we need to be on it from the start. A good tempo, and have go at them - Bellamy to make it 4 against 5 previous clubs (including scoring for west ham against Newcastle)
Am I right in thinking that Bellamy has 10 in 12 in all competitions since his return from injury? 5 for West Ham in 6 and 5 in 6 for us too?
A great buy by Mr Hughes.
In KAM, GC&MH We TRUST. CTID
jackblue, Prescot (27/02/2009 at 15:31)
drew-peacock, romiley (27/02/2009 at 15:32)
Need a win here before the really difficult games come all together in the next few weeks and months.
Let's break this away form hoodoo!!!!
woolleyback blue, Heart of the City (27/02/2009 at 15:36)
CTID
PJS, Oz (27/02/2009 at 15:38)
Only thing that concerns me is that this will be our 5th game in 16 days and there really has not been much turnover. And we are usually notoriously lethargic on early kick-off games.
Bellamy will be up to score again vs a former club (tally at 5 this season already) but maybe utilizing Caicedo and Elano from the start may just give us some added fresh legs. We have Villa 3 days after this also so Sparky needs to ensure we have the freshest legs.
I am worried about getting something from this game, ironically moreso than the game at Anfield, but back-to-back wins vs the Hammers and then Villa would be massive in the context of the season. We'd be 7th and breathing down the necks of Everton.
Sam Haggar MCFC TO WIN THE UEFA CUP (27/02/2009 at 16:07)
RB Richards CB Dunne CB Onouha LB Bridge
RM Zabeleta CM De Jong CM Kompany LM Ireland
CF Robinho CF Bellemy
Subs Hart Garrdo Logan Weiss Elano Caicedo Evens
2-0 city Bellmy against former club again and Robinho
Sam Haggar MCFC TO WIN THE UEFA CUP (27/02/2009 at 16:09)
Giles, The Voice of City Fans (27/02/2009 at 16:10)
No, Mr Unreason, he's injured. Has been for some weeks.
Now, onto business. I see the imposter has been on here rattling on about rugger. That should be proof enough that he's NOT the real deal.
Been away in Uzbekistan sealing a couple of deals but made back to the old prawn sandwich box with Marlena (silvery blonde hair, matching collar and cuffs, father a toad wrangler in Hollywood) to watch the game last night and was impressed with the second half performance.
And, for all you Hughes-haters out there, the word is that Khaldoon is very impressed with the hard-working culture the grey fox has introduced to the club. He isn't going anywhere.
BELIEVE!
woolleyback blue, Heart of the City (27/02/2009 at 16:14)
CTID
M9Lad., ny. (27/02/2009 at 16:17)
Drew Peacock (27/02/2009 at 16:27)
If the winner of the League cup is already in the CL then the Uefa place goes to the next highest in the league. If the winner of the FA cup is in the CL then the runner goes into the UEFA, But, if the runner up is also in the CL then the place once again goes the the next highest place in the league.... So, if the Rags beat spurs and the CL qualifier and in the FA cup final then 7th place in the league will qualify for the UEFA cup... Doe that make sense?
BristolStevefromOldham, bristol (27/02/2009 at 16:31)
actually... not a very good theory.
PhilB65, City Forever (27/02/2009 at 16:35)
5th place gets UEFA.
If the FA Cup Winners and Runners Up are already in Europe (ie Champs Gravytrain or UEFA) then a 6th place is eligble for UEFA.
Similarly if the League Cup winners (but NOT runners up) are already in Europe (ie Champs Gravytrain or UEFA) then a 7th place is eligble for UEFA.
So, we need CITY to play more consistently, and yes, (and I hate to say it) we probably have to hope the rags to win on sunday to have a chance of UEFA. Or better still, for Everton to implode (sans Arteta) and for City to shoot up into 6th place!
One Love, One Life, One CITYYYYY 1990 (27/02/2009 at 16:37)
27/02/2009 at 16:14
confusing isnt it... erm well basically its changed so that only the winners of the fa cup and carling cup get a uefa cup place ratehr than the runners up if the winners are already in as has happened in past years. So basically on sunday i am chearing on the rags.. coz getting in europe is more imporant to me than worrying about the rags bragging points... then we need a team already in europe to win the fa cup!!! cmon cityyyyyy
blueloon, Northwich (27/02/2009 at 16:45)
woolleyback blue, Heart of the City (27/02/2009 at 16:54)
CTID
bob forde, Coventry or Andalucia (27/02/2009 at 16:59)
I think we are getting better and though we'll be tired, I think we have a lot in the tank. (Also, I am not going and we NEVER win away games that I go to).
bob forde, Coventry or Andalucia (27/02/2009 at 17:00)
Stephen Irelands Bald Head, Hyde (27/02/2009 at 17:28)
27/02/2009 at 15:38
All the top players say they would rather be playing games than training - during the 5 games in 16 days period only light training will have taken place, with maybe some tactical work outs.
Don't worry about tiredness, MH says his teams usually do well in the second half of the season because of all the hard work they put in on the training ground in the first half of the season.
It's like a good car - just keep it maintained and it'll go for ages
In KAM, GC&MH We TRUST. CTID
The King - Ding Dong (27/02/2009 at 17:42)
While everyone else is coming out of the closet regarding Carling cup final, I'm the same. Here goes - I want the scum to win on sunday too.
Oh I feel like a weight has been lifted !
Stephen Irelands Bald Head, Hyde (27/02/2009 at 17:50)
In KAM, GC&MH We TRUST. CTID
bluepeteruk, Manchester (27/02/2009 at 17:57)
The rags have OFFICIALY 4 out of every 5 fans attending from outside the Manchester area., In my room. (27/02/2009 at 18:38)
Get it right we got Bellamy for £10m.