Scunthorpe Preview and Team News

Fans favourite David Fox looks set to start his first game of the season following injury as City prepare to face Scunthorpe in the Capital One Cup tonight.

Fox, who Paul Lambert christened a 'poor mans Paul Scholes`, played a staring role in the Premier League campaign last season, with his first appearance being in the first win of the season away at Bolton. When on form, Fox is the heartbeat of the side, and will give Hughton options if he chooses to shake up the midfield area on Saturday against Spurs.

"He will be involved and that is a boost for him," said Hughton. "He has done it the right way by playing in two development games. He played the best part of 90 minutes the last time out so it is good to see him back.

"It was a shame he missed the start of pre-season because that of course is a time when you would have liked to involve him."

Young keeper Declan Rudd will also start, whilst midfielders Wes Hoolahan and Andrew Surman could also start, along with Saturday`s sub, Chris Martin.

Alan Knill`s Scuthorpe side are without a win in three league outings this season, having lost 4-0 at Home to Yeovil at the weekend, and sitting bottom of League One. However in the last round, they did knock out Championship side Derby on penalties.

Speaking about the defeat to Yeovil, Knill said, "It`s just not acceptable, is it? Not at all, from start to finish," he said. "I take responsibility. I put the players on the pitch, so it comes to me. We`ve got to work a lot harder than that. It`s my job to make them aware of it, and trust me, we do. Now after this one we have to make them even more aware of it until one day the penny drops.

"We`re not there at the moment. We look like we can concede," he said. "People will point to the defence, but it`s not just the centre-halves or the right-back or the goalkeeper, it`s the whole team. We`re missing some players, but I`m not making any excuses for that. Just as a group, we have to be better. If we`re not, you lose 4-0 at home. We have to be better at doing the horrible things. It`s alright passing it and moving it around the pitch, but you have to stop the opposition as well. At the moment we`re not stopping the opposition from playing.

Scunthorpe wont need reminding that their last outing at Carrow Road resulted in a 6-0 thumping, as City look to progress to the 3rd round for the first time since 2007. Scunthorpe have never knocked out a top-flight club in the League Cup.