Vieira to Debut in the FA Cup

[Fish111]

Stephen Ireland and Patrick Vieira will both be missing from City's midfield for the difficult Barclays Premier League trip to Everton tomorrow.
New manager Roberto Mancini knows that the visit to Goodison Park will be the toughest challenge yet to his 100 per cent record as Blues boss with four successive victories.

But playmaker Ireland, who has been ruled out for two weeks by a hamstring injury, will not be considered although he has a chance of playing in Tuesday's Carling Cup derby semi-final.

New signing Vieira, who arrived from Mancini's old club Inter Milan last week nursing a damaged calf, is now pencilled in for a possible debut at Scunthorpe in the FA Cup fourth round.

On the plus side, England Under-21 star Nedum Onuoha is back in full training and jostling for a place on the bench at Everton, with left-back Wayne Bridge on the verge of a return to training.

Mancini said: "Everton are playing very well now. They started the season so-so but I watched the game at Arsenal last week and they played very well. It will be a hard game for us.

"It's important that we play well and improve game after game, and then we can look at the table. Six or seven teams can get in the top four and there's a long way to go, 18 games for us.

"At the moment there are three teams who can win the title - Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal, but football is strange. It can change in a month. Now it's three, but it can change."

Mancini, who declared himself a Robinho fan on becoming manager last month, said it was "possible" that the mercurial Brazilian would play at Everton and in the semi-final first leg.

Robinho missed the FA Cup win at Middlesbrough but came off the bench against Blackburn. City's boss said: "In attack I have five or six players and I feel sorry for them when I have to decide."

[Vhero]

Debut in the cup?? Crap I would have preferred a team we know is gonna do it for us but Mancini has proved he knows what he's doing and if it's not working he's not afraid to change things around.

[DoomMerchant]

fucl me. i just sent my match preview in a couple hours ago big upping Vieira if he was fit. oh fuclin well. the early bird doesn't always get the worm.

cheers

[Biamp]

It seems to be a serious injury than what our first thought was.

[Blueboylewis]

Be a good game for him to come into! We should get a clear view of what we have got and a chance for Vieira to show what he can do and the game against scunny is the perfect chance!