Abby Brammell

By Ian Ladyman

Ded and buried: Boyata heads home the second


Dedryck Boyata made sure Manchester City will be in the draw for the Europa League proper today after a comfortable win, but it looks like being a long season for goalkeeper Shay Given after he was left out again last night

A first-half goal from Shaun Wright-Phillips and a header on the hour from 19-year-old defender Boyata were enough to beat limited opposition on a low-key night at Eastlands.

City were rarely at their fluent best but were good value for their victory all the same.

As for Given, it was a far more significant night and the longer this spell of inactivity goes on for the Republic of Ireland No 1, the more he must rue the moment he dislocated his shoulder so badly at Arsenal last April.

Until then, Given was not only recognised as the best goalkeeper at City but perhaps in the country.

But his own injury and the rise to form and prominence of Joe Hart has turned the 34-year-old’s world upside down and now he faces a serious quandary.

With City manager Roberto Mancini — not a man to worry about players’ feelings — seemingly intent on using Hart in the Barclays Premier League, Given’s only hope of activity was in Europe.

Now that his manager has taken that potential consolation away, too, Given must decide whether he wishes to stick around and wait for Hart to get injured or lose form, or to ask for a transfer before the window closes on Tuesday.

Last night Mancini was frank when asked about the matter, saying: ‘I am sorry for Shay but the goalkeeping position is different. It’s harder to change them round.


Silva service: City forward looked dangerous


'Shay knows this and he must understand it. Now that we are in the group stage of the Europa League, I may have a chance to change it. It is possible but I don’t know.’

With last night’s team serving as an indication of Mancini’s thinking regarding the European campaign, it was a bad night for Given but a better one for Brazilian striker Jo.

Having proved himself so ill suited to English football since his £18m transfer from CSKA Moscow more than two years ago, Jo has been handed something of a reprieve by Mancini and last night was his first competitive start for more than 18 months.

He didn’t do too badly, either. Certainly he was a more willing runner than his strike partner Emmanuel Adebayor, who will not be sold next week but is unlikely to stick around beyond January if he can’t dislodge Carlos Tevez from Mancini’s Premier League team.

Last night Adebayor was poor, shooting weakly straight at the goalkeeper when played in by David Silva and then missing the target embarrassingly after running on to a weak backpass. Jo was much better.

A first-half header was tipped over by goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon, while another shot soon after was angled across goal and narrowly wide.

The Brazilian didn’t score but his two efforts did help to draw City out of the shell in which they had spent much of the first half and it wasn’t long before they scored.


Wright stuff: City winger held off his marker to shoot low inside the post


This time the move began with City’s holding midfielder Nigel de Jong deep in his own half and was continued by Patrick Vieira. The Frenchman has always been a fine passer of the ball and when he saw Wright-Phillips moving off the shoulder of his marker he slid the ball in to the penalty area perfectly and his team-mate converted with an instant swipe of his right foot.


It was a good goal and in truth a little out of keeping with what had gone before. City had been a little predictable in much of their play up until that point but the goal gave them some life and some impetus and they were much improved in the second half.

Wright-Phillips in particular enjoyed a productive night. Sometimes the England winger can flatter with his pace without delivering much quality but last night things came together for him. Not that he will remember the night with as much fondness as Boyata.

A product of the club’s academy, the Belgium Under 21 defender has been creeping on to the radar in recent times and last night he scored his first competitive goal, heading in a Silva corner at the far post in the 59th minute.

‘I am pleased as he has been doing well,’ added Mancini. ‘He has a superb future at the club.’ One player who does not have a future at City, as we know, is the Brazilian Robinho.

Yesterday City had brief conversations with AC Milan about a transfer but for now, the club’s most expensive player remains in limbo. Mancini said: ‘At the moment nothing has changed.’




source :dailymail