Carling Cup preview: Ipswich look for Cup reward

Championship side Ipswich Town are staring at another big defeat when they host Arsenal in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final.

The formerly Roy Keane-managed Town copped a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and front up against Arsene Wenger’s men who were held 1-1 by Leeds United in their FA Cup third round affair.

Ipswich have not yet named their permanent manager, but they will have a boss in place by the time Arsenal visits on Wednesday.

Caretaker manager Charlie McParland said the side must learn from their most recent experience of Premier League opposition.

“The players are hurting, I’m hurting but we have to lift ourselves, the players have to lift themselves for Wednesday night,” he said.

“We have to remember who we were playing. Chelsea scored seven, eight and nine in the Premier League last season but as professionals, we are very disappointed with the manner of the defeat.”

“It’s a difficult time when a manager leaves a club and you are waiting for a new man to come in but the club has to move forward – hopefully the new man will be in before Wednesday.”

Arsenal are facing their final-four encounter with the prospect of just two fit centre-backs, after Sebastien Squillaci injured his hamstring on Sunday.

“If we only have two centre-backs then that cannot work with the number of centre-backs we have,” Wenger said.

“If Squillaci has a problem then we must quickly go out for a player.”

Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou are the remaining fit defenders for Wenger, and the pair will likely start on Wednesday.

In Tuesday’s semi-final, West Ham host Birmingham, and potentially the home side are playing to keep Avram Grant at Upton Park.

The Hammers’ board is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, meaning a loss on Tuesday night would cast serious doubt on Grant’s managerial future.

Ten years on from their last appearance in the league cup final, Birmingham City will set out to repeat their efforts starting with the away leg.

Alex McLeish has been under pressure in the City manager’s job, and one step closer to silverware would give him confidence of maintaining his post, despite their position in the league (15th).

City fans will no doubt remember their quarter-final scalp – local rivals Aston Villa – when they remember this campaign at the end of season, but the derby triumph would be made more memorable should they go all the way.

Beating West Ham on Tuesday would be a significant step towards their first piece of silverware since the 1994-95 season when they were third division champions.