Elano

Man City 1 West Ham 0

ELANO’S brave second-half header secured victory for Manchester City over West Ham and set up a fourth round FA Cup tie at Sheffield United.

A scrappy game was decided in the Blues’ favour when the Brazilian playmaker stooped to head home after Rolando Bianchi’s effort had bounced back off the post.

It was no surprise the chance was created by Martin Petrov, who was at his marauding best down the City left all night.

Bianchi came off the bench in the first half when new loan signing Nery Castillo dislocated his shoulder after falling awkwardly. Despite the injury

blow, if anything City looked more dangerous with target man Bianchi on the field.

City goalkeeper Joe Hart, who was criticised for kicking too much in the defeat against Everton at the weekend, responded with two fine first-half saves to keep his fourth clean sheet in five games.

The young Englishman's form could have international implications, because although Fabio Capello was not present, he did despatch trusted advisor Franco Baldini to the north-west.

Capello has pledged to work closely with Stuart Pearce, who sat next to Baldini in a near 30,000 crowd, so he probably already knows plenty about the youngster as it was the England Under-21 boss who signed Hart from Shrewsbury when he was still City manager.

Hart is still capable of the odd mistake, as his failure to make any connection with his attempt to punch Freddie Ljungberg’s free-kick clear late in the opening period showed, but he has already done enough to persuade Sven-Goran Eriksson to dump Sweden’s World Cup keeper Andreas Isaksson and the Swede feels he could follow in the footsteps of David Seaman and Peter Shilton as a world-class England number one.

Hart stood strong when Luis Boa Morte picked out Ashton with an astute cross from the right.

Although he was at full stretch, Ashton got plenty of power behind his volley but it just bounced off Hart, who made a similar, if slightly less difficult save from Boa Morte himself not long after the break.

If anything, Hart was even braver in stoppage-time as he confronted Ashton in a body-to-body duel when Richard Dunne looped an attempted clearance into his own box.

Yet again, it was the keeper who came out on top, both in winning the ball and the clash of bodies which inevitably followed.

After a slow start to the second period, Sven-Goran Eriksson’s men began to get into their stride with Petrov leading the offensive.

The Bulgarian has been in top form recently and after substitute Bianchi bundled one low cross wide, Upson, another Englishman to impress, was at full stretch to prevent Petrov picking out the same man, who had found a much better position.

There was to be no reprieve for the Hammers when Petrov drove past Lucas Neill 17 minutes from time.

This time, Bianchi met the far-post cross with a firm header, which bounced back off a post, only for Elano to dive in and get his head on the ball in front of raised boots.

City needed to survive a couple of late scares as West Ham had a penalty claim against Dunne turned down before Richards nodded a dangerous Lee Bowyer cross out from underneath his own crossbar.

But, in the end, they are the ones who can start planning for a Roses battle at Bramall Lane.

Man City Hart, Corluka, Richards, Dunne, Ball, Hamann,Ireland, Elano, Castillo (Bianchi 34), Petrov,Vassell (Gelson 81).

Subs Not Used: Schmeichel, Onuoha, Garrido.

Booked: Hamann.

Goals: Elano 73.

West Ham Green, Neill, Ferdinand, Upson, McCartney,Ljungberg (Faubert 62), Bowyer, Noble, Etherington,Boa Morte (Cole 70), Ashton.

Subs Not Used: Wright, Mullins, Spector.

Booked: Boa Morte.

Att: 27,809

Ref: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear).