Elano the brave saves Eriksson from penalties as City sneak through

The ball might only have been a few inches off the ground and about as far from the goal- line, but the Brazilian's bravery in risking a boot in the face to head a 72nd-minute winner was enough to finally see off West Ham and book a fourthround trip to Sheffield United.

Inevitably, the chance was created by another of Eriksson's foreign legion, man-of-the-match Martin Petrov, but afterwards the City boss was quick to praise Elano after he emerged from a difficult spell to score his seventh goal since arriving from Shakhtar Donetsk in the summer.

'We haven't seen the real Elano since October when he last came back from being with the Brazil national team,' said the former England coach.

'He has been sick and injured, but he's training again now and physically he's better than he was a month ago.

'He's a world class player, the man who can do something special in the last third, but he doesn't score with his head every day. In fact, I've never seen him score with a header.'

After a goalless draw at Upton Park, the outcome of this replay was also in the balance when Petrov took advantage of a slip by Lucas Neill, on his return from a hamstring injury, to send over a cross from the left.

Substitute Rolando Bianchi headed against the post and Elano stooped to beat Matthew Upson to the ball and head home.

Heeding referee Mark Clattenburg's warning that he would be booked if he took off his shirt, the boy from Sao Paulo turned it back to front instead as he celebrated with the fans.

'The one fella who was going to nick a goal nicked it, ' acknowledged Alan Curbishley.

The Hammers' boss knew his side could already have been a couple of goals to the good had it not been for two crucial moments either side of half-time when goalkeeper Joe Hart came to City's rescue.

First, they were caught flat-footed when Luis Boa Morte clipped a first-time pass over the top of the defence.

Dean Ashton — who scored twice when West Ham beat City on their way to the Cup Final two years ago — lunged to meet the ball first-time only to direct it straight into Hart's chest.

The England striker returned the favour to Boa Morte six minutes after the restart, knocking Lee Bowyer's pass perfectly into the path of the Portuguese, who should have done better than stab his shot straight at Hart from a narrow angle.

Bowyer also claimed a penalty when his effort appeared to clip Richard Dunne's hand and Curbishley felt his side had a more valid appeal when the former Newcastle and Leeds midfielder collided with Hart seven minutes from time.

'Now we've seen it we're disappointed because we thought it could have been a penalty,' said Curbishley.

'Hart hasn't got there and he has taken Bowyer out, but Clattenburg's looking at the ball.'

However, Neill was lucky to escape unpunished for a late tackle on Nery Castillo which led to the Mexico striker being carried off in the first half.

Initial fears that he may have dislocated his shoulder were allayed but he is still expected to miss Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash between the two clubs.

'It hurts very much and he is going to have a scan tomorrow,' said Eriksson, a Wembley regular in his England days. 'But the doctor doesn't think it's too bad.'

Boa Morte was also fortunate to escape a second booking in quick succession when he tackled Dietmar Hamann from behind — Curbishley reacting by replacing him with Carlton Cole — and Clattenburg also let Anton

Ferdinand off with a lecture for tangling with Bianchi.

The Italian had a great chance to break the deadlock, but could not quite scramble the ball into an empty net when Robert Green palmed Petrov's cross to the far post.

It was left to Elano to end more than two-and-a-half hours of stalemate.

Curbishley added: 'It could have been a different story if we'd nicked a goal, but we didn't and we paid the price.

'We're a bit disappointed that Lucas slipped over, Petrov got the cross in and Elano got in there. It's certainly something for us to think about on Sunday.'

MANCHESTER CITY (4-4-2): Hart 7; Corluka 5, Dunne 6, Richards 6, Ball 5; Ireland 6, Hamann 6, Elano 6, Petrov 7; Castillo 6 (Bianchi 34min, 6), Vassell 6 (Gelson 81).

Booked: Hamann.

WEST HAM UNITED (4-4-2): Green 6; Neill 6, Upson 6, Ferdinand 6, McCartney 5; Ljungberg 5 (Faubert 62, 6), Noble 6, Bowyer 6, Etherington 6; Boa Morte 7 (Cole 70, 6), Ashton 6.

Booked: Boa Morte.

Man of the match: Martin Petrov.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg.