West Ham to push Johnson into League Cup action

Allardyce in search of defensive solidity with Manchester City on horizon

LONDON // From getting the cold shoulder at third-tier Wolverhampton Wanderers, 30-year-old defender Roger Johnson is set to make his West Ham United debut at Manchester City in the League Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

Johnson, who played in the Premier League for Wolves and Birmingham City, was not even given a squad number at the start of the season and was subsequently loaned to struggling Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.

However, after agreeing to a loan deal with injury-hit West Ham on Monday, the centre-half has the chance to impress against a City side boasting a formidable array of attacking firepower.

“He is very determined and very excited about the opportunity he’s got after being frozen out at Wolves and pursuing his career at Sheffield Wednesday recently,” manager Sam Allardyce said ahead of Wednesday’s first leg.

“Our central defensive situation has been so difficult recently and it’s one of the main reasons why we haven’t got the results we wanted.

“The one big thing about Roger is his Premier League experience at Birmingham City. His height in terms of being a central defender has been one of our weak points recently, and his desire to come and show he has still got the capabilities to play at this level.

“We are going into one of the biggest games of the season with somebody of his experience, height and aerial dominance against, let’s face it, one of the biggest teams in the Premier League.”

West Ham are only one place off the foot of the Premier League, and a weakened line-up was thrashed 5-0 by second-tier Nottingham Forest in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Even diehard fans give them little chance of toppling City over two legs, but Allardyce said they hope to at least get back to Upton Park with a chance to advance.

“We don’t have to beat them on Wednesday night. We have to come back with something realistic to beat them at home if we can,” he said. “We have to stay as focused as we can and we have to nullify what is a great attacking force.”

Allardyce said that striker Andy Carroll will soon be available, having been sidelined by a foot injury since completing his permanent £15 million (Dh90.48m) move from Liverpool in June.

“Andy is training today,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll see him on the bench in the next week or so.”

For City, winger Jesus Navas will sit out the contest with a knee complaint.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini says the problem is not serious, but he does not want to risk the Spaniard. “It is not very important, it is just a precaution,” he said.

Top scorer Sergio Aguero remains on the sideline, but he is back in training and on course to return sometime this month.

Aguero has been out since suffering a calf injury in a 6-3 win over Arsenal on December 14.

“He is working, he is training,” Pellegrini said. “It is very good news. All players recovering from injuries is good news, especially a player who is as important as Kun Aguero.”

Pellegrini is yet to decide which goalkeeper will play in the cup match. Costel Pantilimon, who recently reverted to being second choice after a spell in the side for Joe Hart, returned at Blackburn but made a costly error.