Source: Telegraph
Middlesbrough striker crisis undermines FA Cup hopes against Manchester City
Strachan is having to try to do his best to persuade Birmingham City striker Marcus Bent to return to the Riverside on loan in time to spearhead his attack against City in the FA Cup on Saturday as he plots an upset against Mancini's team.[LNB]The former Manchester United player has already lost the services of Leroy Lita due to suspension, and Jeremie Aliadiere is doubtful with an ankle injury, while Dave Kitson has headed back to Stoke City following a six-week loan spell with Boro.[LNB]Aiden McGeady is like Wayne Rooney, says Celtic manager Tony MowbrayMiddlesbrough training ground no-showCarlo Ancelotti plays European card to keep John Terry away from Manchester CityFA investigate Gareth Southgate rumpus with Shaun Wright-PhillipsDespite the dearth of strikers, Strachan has identified their sides' third-round tie at the Riverside as the perfect way to raise morale on Teesside, where the club's slide is a sharp contrast to City.[LNB]'It is a huge game that we want to win because winning makes you feel better about yourself, that's for sure,' Strachan said.[LNB]'At the moment, though, my priority is to find 11 fit players that can look like a team because at this moment in time we have, officially, no strikers at the club that are fit.[LNB]'Dave Kitson was only going to be here for six weeks and I am still speaking to Marcus just now. Jeremie is injured and you know about Leroy. That is it really. So the strikers have gone from the equation at the moment.[LNB]'If Jeremie could get fit that would be fantastic but I don't know if we can do that so as we sit here at the moment I don't know if we will have any strikers.[LNB]'Unfortunately at 52 I will not be taking them on. I won't be on the pitch. I am going to stand there and do the best that I can with the players I have got and hope they can do very well and enjoy the game.[LNB]'If they play like they did in the first half and reproduce the composure they showed at Barnsley (in a 2-1 defeat) then I am all right with that. We will try to get out our most experienced team we can and then see what is our fittest 11 or 12 and get a shape from that.'[LNB]Strachan may have played for City's arch-rivals but he has stressed he does not have anything against the Premier League club.[LNB]The former Celtic manager continued: 'Is that local rivalry still in my blood? No. Not at all. To be fair the big games when I was at Manchester United were at Liverpool to be honest with you.[LNB]'As a derby you wanted to win those games but that is far too far down the line. I have played far too many games since then to worry about those games.[LNB]'That is nothing personal against Man City, the only thing is that they are a good side and we have to try to beat them on Saturday. I would be a sad man if I was still bitter about Manchester United-Manchester City derby games.'[LNB]Boro have beaten City in their last two visits to the Riverside - 2-0 last term and 8-1 the previous season in Sven-Goran Eriksson's last game in charge.[LNB]'I don't know how many players are still here that played in that game,' Strachan added, 'so I think the ones who are playing will hopefully think that they can do it again.'[LNB]
