Man City 1-0 West Ham 16/01/2008

Elano's header 18 minutes from time sank West Ham and handed Manchester City a FA Cup fourth round trip to Sheffield United.

The Brazilian dived into the six-yard box after Rolando Bianchi headed Martin Petrov's cross against an upright.

Dean Ashton missed West Ham's best chance after 30 minutes when he volleyed Luis Boa Morte's cross against City keeper Joe Hart.

Boa Morte was also denied by Hart as City held on to clinch the win.

The first-half was a desperately poor affair, with little or nothing to excite an Eastlands crowd that was well below capacity.

West Ham's Ashton wasted their best first-half chance, but City keeper Hart blocked his close-range effort after Boa Morte created the opening.

City suffered a blow two minutes later when on-loan Mexican Nery Castillo fell awkwardly under a challenge from Lucas Neill and was stretchered off with a dislocated shoulder.

Hart got the better of Ashton again in first-half injury time, halting the striker as he tried to take advantage of Richard Dunne's error. The loose ball fell to Boa Morte, but he blasted wildly off target.

West Ham started the second half brightly, and Boa Morte was guilty of selfish play after 52 minutes, choosing to shoot straight at Hart with Freddie Ljungberg waiting unmarked only six yards out with the goal at his mercy.

City carved out their first opportunity after 56 minutes, courtesy of a superb Petrov cross that substitute Bianchi could not turn in at the far post.

Petrov was City's outstanding performer, and it was no surprise that he was instrumental when they went ahead with 18 minutes left.

He delivered a superb far post cross that was diverted against an upright by Bianchi, and Elano dived bravely into the six-yard box to head home the rebound.

West Ham almost restored equality with eight minutes left when Lee Bowyer lifted the ball over the onrushing Hart, but Micah Richards made a superb covering header to deny Ashton.