The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON fourth round
Hartlepool United v West Ham United
Victoria Park
Saturday 24 January
12.40pm
Referee: Lee Mason
WHUTV - Full audio commentary
Introduction
* West Ham United travel to the Victoria Park home of League One side Hartlepool United for what promises to be an intriguing FA Cup fourth round encounter. The draw for the fifth round will take place from 6.15pm on Sunday by Gary Mabbutt and Gary Pallister.
* Should the tie be drawn, the teams will replay at the Boleyn Ground on Wednesday 4 February at 7.45pm.
* West Ham United have won the FA Cup on three previous occasions, namely in 1964, 1975 and 1980. The club lost the final in 1923 and 2006. Hartlepool have never gone beyond the fourth round, meaning they would be making history with a victory.
* Manager Gianfranco Zola, who has stated his desire to take the FA Cup seriously, is expected to name a strong squad for the first meeting between the two clubs.
* The Barclays Premier League team go into the contest in a rich vein of form that has seen them win four of their last five matches in all competitions and an unbeaten away run that stretches back to 29 October.
* Hartlepool will go into the tie in buoyant mood themselves, having already knocked out top-flight side Stoke City in the third round. The Hammers made it to the fourth round by knocking out Championship side Barnsley at the previous stage.
* West Ham United manager Gianfranco Zola said: "They are a good team and try to play football. They have some very interesting players, some quick players and play quite differently from being a League One side. They try to play football and are a good team. We respect them. It will be a hard game but for us the cup is an important achievement so we want to get through this round."
* Hartlepool United defender Ben Clark said: "It'll be fantastic and it should be a good day, it's on television and hopefully the money that we can get will be spent on some players. At the Stoke game there was a really good atmosphere and hopefully we'll get the crowd behind us."
* West Ham United are next in action on Wednesday 28 January, when Hull City visit the Boleyn Ground in the Premier League. Hartlepool face Carlisle United at Victoria Park the previous day.
Last time out
Sunday 18 January 2009 West Ham United 3-1 Fulham
West Ham United: Green, Neill, Collins, Upson, Ilunga, Behrami, Parker, Noble (Faubert 81), Collison (Mullins 83), Cole, Di Michele (Dyer 87)
Subs not used: Stech, Boa Morte, Tristan, Sears
Goals: Di Michele 7, Noble (pen) 60, Cole 76
Friday 16 January Hartlepool United 2-0 Northampton Town
Hartlepool United: Lee-Barrett, McCunnie, Nelson, Clark, Humphreys, Monkhouse, Jones (Rowell 90), Liddle, Robson (Power 78), Mackay, Porter (Henderson 81)
Subs not used: Budtz, Foley
Goals: Porter 5, 56
Team news
* A strong squad has travelled to the north-east with only Danny Gabbidon and Dean Ashton on the long-term injury list.
* Kieron Dyer may miss out after a slight muscle problem in Tuesday's reserve match against Fulham.
* Carlton Cole is bidding to score for the sixth successive match.
* Junior Stanislas, back from his loan spell at Southend United, has been training with the first team since his return but is cup-tied this weekend. Fellow homegrown Hammer Zavon Hines is fully fit again after four months out with a knee injury.
* Marek Stech will celebrate his 19th birthday on Wednesday. He could again deputise for Jan Lastuvka on the bench, although he is back on training after a minor knee injury.
* Jimmy Walker (Colchester United), Jordan Spence (Leyton Orient), Joe Widdowson (Grimsby Town), Nigel Quashie and Kyel Reid (both Wolverhampton Wanderers) are all out on loan
* Hartlepool United striker Joel Porter is hopeful of playing in Saturday's tie despite his ongoing achilles problem.
Background
* Even though Hartlepool date back to 1908, the teams have never met in a competitive encounter.
General information
* All tickets for this match are now sold out. For details on getting to Victoria Park, click here
* Weather: The forecast is for a cold but bright day. The temperature is not expected to get above 6C.