Manchester City 4 - 2 West Bromwich Albion

Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion: Preview

Updated: April 18, 2009, 1:18 PM UK

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes will monitor the fitness of Shaun Wright-Phillips ahead of the match against West Brom.

The midfielder has missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Nigel de Jong is expected to return to the squad after being ineligible for the UEFA Cup tie against Hamburg.

Richard Dunne is available despite being sent off against Hamburg as his ban only applies to European games.

Vincent Kompany has challenged the Manchester City players to turn Eastlands into a fortress.

The Belgian midfielder believes their home form will be key if they are to finish the season in style.

City still have an outside chance of claiming seventh place and that could be enough to yield a European berth.

Kompany is ready to lift himself and face West Brom after the disappointment of going out of the UEFA Cup to his former club Hamburg in midweek.

"The fans were incredible, if we can put in the same spirit at every game then we will have the same support from them,'' he told the club`s official website.

"It's already tough to come here but we should aim for our stadium becoming a fortress.

"We kept coming back at Hamburg, there was a real hunger about us. That's what it should be like for every game. It's not just about playing well, we were like a team and were strong.

"I don't like to lose but if we were to go out I wanted it to be with pride and with some fight. That's what we did.''

Meanwhile, Nedum Onuoha has been hailed as one of City's shining lights by his defensive partner Dunne.

The skipper is delighted at the way Onuoha has grasped his chance after being recalled to the team.

Dunne said: "Nedum has been brilliant. Nothing seems to ruffle him. He takes everything in his stride.

"He has been the same for the last three or four years. Every time he has got into the team then the defensive side of things has improved.

"He has had to wait a long time this season to get a run but he has taken his chance and the manager would probably have him as one of the first names on the team sheet now.

"He has the confidence of playing week in week out and his performances have been excellent.''

West Brom defender Shelton Martis is set to miss the game with a groin strain.

Albion are also again likely to be without striker Roman Bednar, with the Czech Republic international battling to shake off a hamstring problem.

Teenage striker Chris Wood, 17, who made his debut against Portsmouth last weekend, is again set for a place on the bench.

Manager Tony Mowbray hopes City will be suffering from a UEFA Cup hangover.

Mowbray, whose rock bottom side desperately need a win to keep alive their fading survival hopes, watched City beat Hamburg on Thursday but still be eliminated from the competition on aggregate.

Albion are seven points adrift of safety but Mowbray is convinced they can cause City problems.

"Let's hope they have some flatness about their performance,'' said Mowbray. "If they do we must take advantage of the situation.

"Generally, we have played well away from home this season. There have not been many days when we have thought the opposition are too good for us and we cannot compete.

"I am sure we will go to Eastlands and have spells in the game when we will look very comfortable and will put them on the back foot.

"But with the talent they possess there will be times when they will have us at full stretch.

"The great runs of Stephen Ireland, the quick feet of Robinho and Elano's dead-ball kicking will be difficult to contain.

"On their day they can damage anyone but we've also shown that we can give teams problems.''

While West Brom try to match City on the field, Mowbray admits the two clubs are miles apart off it thanks to the huge financial power now available at Eastlands.

Mowbray added: "We cannot afford top Premier League salaries as we do not want to put our club at risk.

"We do not have a bottomless pit of money coming out of the desert. You have to live within your means.

"Our means are on a totally different level compared to Manchester City. It is still all about putting a team together and to make them function. This cannot be done overnight.''