Soccer · West Ham

Manchester City v West Ham United

Danny Gabbidon is available for West Ham's trip to Manchester City after recovering from a groin injury.

Centre back is West Ham's strongest position, with Gabbidon and Wales international colleague James Collins both now fit and pushing for places in the team.

French midfielder Julien Faubert is edging closer to a first-team start after coming through half an hour of Wednesday's FA Cup defeat at Eastlands.

Manager Alan Curbishley must decide whether to bring Hayden Mullins and Carlton Cole back into the side after preferring Lee Bowyer and Luis Boa Morte in midweek.

Craig Bellamy is back in full training but is not expected to be ready this weekend.

Provisional squad: Green, Wright, Neill, Spector, Ferdinand, Upson, Collins, Gabbidon, McCartney, Bowyer, Faubert, Noble, Mullins, Etherington, Boa Morte, Reid, Ashton, Cole.

Manchester City striker Nery Castillo has been ruled out for up to six weeks after fracturing a bone on his shoulder.

Castillo, on loan from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, suffered the setback in the FA Cup victory against West Ham in midweek.

Manager Sven Goran Eriksson said: 'He does not need surgery on the injury but he will be away for between five and six weeks.

'He is very unlucky and he's the player we need as well.'

City face the Hammers again on Sunday and apart from Castillo, Michael Johnson (abdominal strain) and Emile Mpenza (hamstring) are again ruled out through injury.

Provisional squad: Hart, Onuoha, Corluka, Dunne, Richards, Ball, Garrido, Ireland, Hamann, Fernandes, Petrov, Elano, Bianchi, Vassell, Samaras, Isaksson, Jihai, Etuhu.

 
Danny Gabbidon is in line for a return at centre-back
Danny Gabbidon is in line for a return at centre-back
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