I’m ready to make an impression: Lopes

City midfielder ready to accept Watford challenge in FA Cup.

MANCHESTER: Manchester City teenager Marcos Lopes is hoping manager Manuel Pellegrini will give him another chance to help send Watford out of the FA Cup again.

The midfielder, 18, featured as City completed a 9-0 aggregate League Cup semi-final win over West Ham in midweek and played a part in two of City’s goals in the 3-0 second-leg win at Upton Park while also clipping the bar in an impressive display. Now the Portuguese rising star is hoping to get a chance against Watford — a year on from becoming City’s youngest scorer when he netted in the 3-0 win over the Championship side in the third round of last season’s FA Cup.

“Cup games represent a big opportunity for the younger players at the club and I’m looking forward to being involved in more matches,” said Lopes ahead of Saturday’s fourth-round tie at Eastlands.

“I will give my 100% because these are the games when you can make an impression.”

Liverpool’s Jones keen to impress again

Brad Jones is aiming to prove once more he still has plenty to offer at Liverpool as he gets a chance to impress against Bournemouth in the FA Cup fourth round.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed the Australia goalkeeper will start in the match away to the Championship side on Saturday, which will be just his second appearance of the season, with his other coming against Oldham in the last round of the competition.

“For me, it’s a case of training hard and making sure that I’m ready,” said Jones. “In general, I treat each day before a game like I’m going to play, even though 99% of the time I probably won’t.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th, 2014.

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