• FA Cup

Dzeko ready to star for City in final

Manchester City will take on Stoke City in the FA Cup final on Saturday and ESPN is the place to be for unrivalled coverage, starting with Breakfast at Wembley at 8am and commercial-free match coverage

Edin Dzeko is hopeful of starting for Manchester City against Stoke City in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

Dzeko, who could be set to lead the line for Roberto Mancini's side as Carlos Tevez races to be fit to play 90 minutes, is delighted to be a part of the showpiece final and is hopeful he can contribute to the team bringing home the silverware - a success he believes could prove the first of many.

"I'm lucky to come here and within months be taking part in an FA Cup final because I knew when I arrived that the club had not won anything for 35 years," Dzeko said. "But I think we have already changed history by finishing fourth and getting a Champions League place. Now we have the chance to actually win a trophy.

"For a striker it is important to score your first goal and it is the same with a club - if we win that first trophy after such a long time I think things can only get better for us.

"I'm happy but I know I can play much better. I have only been here a few months and I want to be ready for the pre-season and next season.

"It was my dream to play in the best league in the world with the best club and now I am here I want to do my best. But everybody wants to play in the final. I didn't play in the semi-final so I hope I play against Stoke, but the most important thing is that the team wins."

Manchester City clinched Champions League qualification for next season in midweek, after beating rivals Tottenham at Eastlands. Dzeko believes that success, and the security it brought, has been the perfect preparation for Saturday's final.

"Qualifying for the Champions League before Wembley has taken a great deal of pressure off and since Tuesday we have been able to concentrate on the FA Cup final," he said. "We can still get third place because we are only two points behind Arsenal but there is no pressure on us now.

"This is the opportunity for the club to really establish itself on the European stage.

"But as for being a stepping stone to winning the Premier League title, let's try and win the FA Cup first and then we can see.

"It's not only for us. It's also really important for the fans as well. Some of the younger fans will have never seen the club win something and now is the time.

"I didn't know about the FA Cup, its tradition or the fact it is such an old competition. So it's an amazing feeling. I have worked hard to come here and if you work hard anything is possible."

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