STUART Pearce has earmarked David Nugent as the biggest threat to the Blues' dreams of FA Cup glory.
The City chief was in charge of the Preston hitman for a couple of days for the recent England Under-21 friendly against Spain and he couldn't have been more impressed with the free-scoring Liverpudlian.
Nugent was on the mark for his country in that game at Derby and Pearce is convinced that the player, who began his career down the road from the Blues at Bury, will be in the top flight next season.
Preston, who harbour strong promotion hopes from the Championship, were delighted to hold on to their é5m-rated prized asset during the Janaury window but it is clear that they will face a tough task repeating that feat in the summer should they not have made the leap into the Premiership.
"I think Nugent's a good player. He's honest, genuine, he has got the ability and he keeps going and doing the things for 90 minutes that make him a nuisance," said Pearce, who will get an even better look at the potential City transfer target in the summer when the striker will form part of his England squad at the European Championships in Holland.
"As a Premiership manager you go and watch players all over from outside the Premier League that certainly catch the eye, but when you're working with them for two days and they're directly one of your players, you learn more about them in that period of time than ever you do watching 10 matches.
Wary
"As far as Nugent is concerned you know full well that he will keep doing things that will make it difficult for any defenders. He will chase and chase and chase, plus you know that he has got a reasonable goalscoring record, so he's certainly a player we've got to be wary of on Sunday."
Nugent has already left an indelible mark on this year's competition with a wonderful solo goal in the previous round at Crystal Palace. It was a strike that, according to the Blues boss, helped mark out the player as something special.
"I think one way or the other that he might be in the Premiership next year." declared Pearce. "In that Palace game he has picked the ball well in his own half, run nigh on the length of the pitch and shown how difficult it is for defenders to get the ball off him and then, at the end of it all, he has shown great composure.
"You try running 80 yards at full speed and then showing that kind of clear thinking and composure at the end of it all. I think he will be a Premiership striker without a doubt."
That will be a big leap for a 21-year-old who was discovered as a late teen playing for his local Liverpool side St Aloysius and then cemented a move to Bury playing in a summer tournament in his home city. The Everton fan admits there were plenty of rough edges to his game as he rampaged through defences in the bottom division but since arriving at Preston, he has become a more rounded striker.
"I've become more of a team player under Paul Simpson," he declared.
"I seem to be setting up a few goals as well as scoring them and that has become part of the way that I play now. There are still areas I can work on, like my heading, but it is all starting to come together.
"I want to be the main man in any team I play for. I want to play in every game and score in every game."
Pearce will not mind that so long as the run starts next week and not this Sunday.
Do you think City's defence will cope with Nugent? Have your say.
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Right then moaners off you go. I'll start - SP to blame for the latest interest rate rise - discuss
Sick of pearce bigging up the opposition before every game.Time to get nasty now Mr Pearce before the hand that feeds you kicks your BUTT
Ladies and gentlemen,its this weeks opposition bottom kissing time from stuart pearce.
Please talk your own team up a bit Mr. Pearce. I'm getting fed up with your celubrious exhaltations of everything else except your own team.
HERE HE GOES AGAIN, TALKING UP THE OPPOSITION, WHY NOT TELL US WHAT WERE GOING TO DO.
Here we go again...Psycho praising and boosting the confidence of the opposition ahead of a game.
Good to see Mr Pearce bigging uo the opposition as usual. Why doesn't he talk about his own players and guve them confidence. I predict defeat as none of our players will be able to get the ball from Nugent according to SP. Lucky he spent his time with the U21's instaed of sorting out the mess that he has put us in. The end of SP is nigh. You can take that as read.
providing we have a player man mark him we should be ok. i'd give that job to richards as he has strength, pace and a decent tackle on him (oooh errrr). distin to be used with dunne and ricahrds in a back 3 with trabelsi and ball as wing backs.
middle 3 of barton, ireland and hamann with sturridge and vass (if fit) or new boy mpenza. corradi should be rested for a few weeks
Mpenza set to sign for Blackburn Everton or Pompey
next week.
Here he goes again, bigging up the opposition before the game. I don't know what pshychology courses this numb nuts has been on but I think he mis understood just where his preachings should be aimed.
Just do one Pearce, same old ramblings re the opposition before every game, you'll have our lot quaking in their boots by kick off time.
Was expecting this - how about just for once Pearce saying something like - Overvalued and still has a lot to prove, unsure if he is Premier class unlike Daniel Sturridge and I think we made the right choice in Mpenza as I'm sure Preston will find out on Sunday - Sick of all these stupid soundbites.
I knew you wouldn't let me down boys. I bet you all wear black as well don't you. This is how you do it :-
Come on CITY
Well said voice of reason. All these
dissenters should be silenced. It is irresponsible of the MEN to tolerate them on the site.
Dont you understand lads rather then bigging up the opposition stuart pearce is trying to take the pressure off our lads. Looking through the fuddsters crystal ball i can only see city win. 2 goals for barton and one for samaras,yes and david nugent to score for preston. [ The fuddster bigging up the blues.]
It is customary when asked a question about an opposition player who may pose a threat to be politely complimentary. It doesn't matter what platitudes are handed out in the press, it's what SP says in the dressing room that matters and i am in NO doubt that SP is confident that Dunnie, Distan, Micah et al can deal with Nugent and show that talk of his ability is a load of hot air. The pressure is on him to show he can do it.
Shut it Ellis, shouldn't you support United or Wednesday?
Doom doom doom. If Pearce mouthed off about how good his own team is and how we are going to thrash Preston then he'd look even more stupid if we lose. Im not a fan of his at all, but alot on here seem to want to have a go at him for the sake of it, at least wait til Monday !
Why didn't he buy him then????
i apoligise for diversifying,we had a player siberski ,he was a lemon ,but tell me this why could city not utilise his skills ,is there some thing with the coaching system ,he will never be a great player but why can newcastle get more out of him i think the board should be asking the question of pearce
Well said Karl. You seen Bertie since the meeting?
Was wondering when he would start bigging up Nugent after he saved his skin for the U21s.
Cheers Karl Troutface nice to see a RAG backing us for a change - See you in a few minutes on your home site.
PS:-
Have you got enough vouchers for May 5th or will you be utilising your Cantonese cousins LMTB application form ?
Voice of Treason, can you honestly say you have enjoyed watching any of the football this year? Karl Trout - I can only assume that you don't get SKY underwater in your pond. Otherwise you would be looking at the Dark Clouds gathering over COMS along with the other realists commenting. The end of SP is nigh
All Pearce wants is respect from his fellow managers so he can stride into the England job one day, bigging up the opposition every week is nauseating and all this clap trap he speaks after each defeat is just hideous & whats with this Mpenza fellow, give Sturridge a chance you tosser.
The Touchline Jester at it again.