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Etherington's Race Against Time

Posted on: Wed 27 Apr 2011

TONY PULIS admitted that Matthew Etherington faces a race against time to be fit for the FA Cup Final . . . after his hamstring injury took the shine off an emphatic victory which virtually guarantees a fourth season of Premier League football.

The in-form winger was stretchered off after pulling up with the problem midway through the first half of the 3-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers as City suffered a second blow in the space of 72 hours following Ricardo Fuller's Achilles tendon injury.

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Pulis will discover the full extent of the damage and Etherington's chance of making Wembley when undergoes a scan on his left hamstring on Wednesday.

"It would be a massive disappointment if Matty misses the final, but we will know more when he has had the scan," he revealed. "We've got 18 days to get him right which means seven or eight days to get it right and then 10 days to get it as strong as possible.

"We haven't got the resources that Manchester City have and it would be hard enough for us to take them on with all our top players fit, but now we have a major doubt over Matty on top of the fact that we have already lost Ric and Danny Higginbotham."

The one consolation for Pulis was that City's other winger Jermaine Pennant produced another outstanding performance capped by his second goal for the Club.

"Jermaine has really got the bit between his teeth," added Pulis. "People told me he was a lazy player, but he has really grasped how hard we work here.

"We expect our players to put a shift in, and he certainly did that. He was excellent tonight, but then he was at Villa on Saturday and also at Wembley last week."

Pulis was delighted with his side's performance, especially in the first half as City built up a two-goal lead through Kenwyne Jones and Ryan Shawcross.

"The first half display was as good as anything we have produced in the Premier League," he said. "The attitude and application was fantastic and but for the brilliance of Hennessey, we would have gone in at the break three or four goals to the good.

"We hope that's guaranteed Premier League for a fourth season and together with reaching the FA Cup Final, it's a remarkable achievement by everyone.

"I am delighted for our Chairman and the Coates family after what they have done for this Club and also the supporters who provide us with incredible backing.

"The brief has been to stay in the Premier League, knowing that each year we would get stronger. Certainly, the side that we have now is a lot better than the one which came into the Premier League and we have gradually improved over the past three years."

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy could not hide his feelings after watching his side sink to a defeat that leaves them in the Premier League's relegation zone.

"That was not a Mick McCarthy performance from my players which is bitterly disappointing," he said. "We got what we deserved on the night."

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