West Ham United U21s v Manchester City U21s
Premier League 2 Division 1, Rush Green Stadium, Friday 3 March 2023, 7pm GMT
West Ham United U21s will be eager to end a productive week with a positive result when Manchester City U21s head to Rush Green Stadium.
The Irons go into Friday's match on the back of a 3-2 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday, and have picked up six wins in their last eight Premier League 2 matches.
The recent good run of form has Mark Robson's side on 21 points from 19 games, with the young Hammers occupying tenth in the 14-team league.
In City, however, the Hammers will face a side that have lost just twice all season in Division 1 and sit top of the table, with 38 points from 18 matches played.
In the reverse fixture, West Ham were on the receiving end of a 4-1 defeat, showing the challenge the U21s face when the Citizens visit east London.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Friday's match...
Tickets…
Admittance to this Premier League 2 fixture is free for West Ham United Season Ticket Holders. Proof of Season Ticket status must be shown upon entry to Rush Green Stadium.
Tickets can also be purchased on the door, priced at £5 for Adults and £1 for U16s. Gates will open an hour before kick-off.
Travel…
Fans wishing to attend this U21s fixture by car should note that parking at Rush Green Stadium, situated at West Ham United's first-team training ground, is extremely limited and cannot be guaranteed. The postcode for Rush Green Stadium is RM7 0LU.
Supporters using public transport are advised to check their journeys before travel, with resources such as TfL's Journey Planner or the TfL Go app helping to plan your journey.
Supporters may also wish to visit the National Rail website to plan their journey if traveling on the rail network.
How To Follow…
We are delighted to confirm that Friday's game will be available to watch on our free live-steam. Coverage will begin five minutes before kick-off, at 6.55pm, on our YouTube channel.
Fans will also be able to follow all the action from the match in our live blog at whufc.com, which will begin one hour before kick-off at 6pm.
Match updates, including goals, will also be available as they happen on our Twitter feed.
Highlights from the Hammers’ match against Manchester City U21s will also be made available after the match at whufc.com and on the YouTube channel shortly after, as will exclusive reaction from the fixture.
Team News…
Junior Robinson missed out on Monday's win over Brighton & Hove Albion due to an injury and it remains to be seen if the speedy full-back will recover in time to feature against Manchester City U21s.
Dan Chesters performed admirably in an unfamiliar wing-back role against the Seagulls and, with Robinson's availability uncertain, could be asked to undertake the same task again.
George Earthy featured from the bench after picking up a slight knock in the 1-1 draw away to Arsenal earlier this month, but should hopefully be okay to start should he be required.
Divin Mubama is likely to continue leading the line for the U21s after two goals on Monday. The 18-year-old now has 13 finishes for the development team in all competitions, while midfielder Kamarai Swyer has scored six.
Opposition…
Stopping Manchester City at Premier League 2 level could be compared to trying to halt a freight train in recent seasons.
The City U21s - known as the 'Elite Development Squad' - won their first Division 1 title in the 2020/21 season, and retained the championship last year.
With 38 points so far this season, they are on course for a third consecutive first-place finish.
Relentless in front of goal and difficult to break down, City have proven a problem for every side they have faced in Premier League 2 this campaign, losing just twice - a 3-1 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers and a thrilling 6-3 loss away to Everton.
Up front, the devastating duo of Carlos Borges and Adedire Mebude have been in sensational form. Borges has scored 19 goals in 20 matches, while Mebude has ten in the same number of games.
The young Manchester side are coached by Brian Barry-Murphy, a former Republic of Ireland U21 international who began his career with Cork City and Preston North End, and is most known for his time playing at Bury.
Like the Hammers, City's form in the last eight league games is excellent. Both teams have won six of those eight matches. The Irons have drawn one and loss one in the other two, while City have drawn both.
