Match report in Mirror

staffs_blue

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Two faced?


Nothing brings out the worst in football people than jealousy - and Manchester City have gone from being the neutral's favourite team to the club everyone loves to hate.

The Blues have been blamed for everything from rising oil prices to taking the national game to the brink of ruin, and all just because they had enough cash to almost tempt AC Milan into selling them Kaka.


Well no doubt after this Shay Given inspired win there will be calls for the FA to charge City's Abu Dhabi owners with daylight robbery - because the £8million the black gold trillionaires spent bringing Given to Eastlands from Newcastle this week now looks like the steal of the season.

Four times Given came face to face with Afonso Alves, the Boro striker who had scored four goals in his last two appearances against the Blues. And four times the City keeper came out on top.

Mark Hughes has always said he should be judged on his signings - and Given was the pick of a team that included eight of his recruits.

Hughes's sense of satisfaction was heightened further by the fact that it was Craig Bellamy who scored the winner.

His sanity was widely questioned for meeting West Ham's £14m demand for the striker. But Bellamy's 51st-minute strike - his second match-winning goal in three games - suggested there is method in the City manager's madness.

Hughes said: "People have criticised us unfairly because of the players we didn't manage to sign. But at the start of the transfer window the aim is to bring in players who will improve your team and your squad - and we've done that.

"I am delighted we signed Shay Given because I knew his experience would bring a calming influence to our defence. I can't remember a better goalkeeping debut off the top of my head. He was exceptional."

Boro keeper Brad Jones set the tone for two outstanding goalkeeping performances, saving at the feet of Bellamy before City skipper Vincent Kompany volleyed just wide.


Given spent the first 28 minutes of his debut as a spectator, but when Adam Johnson found Alves unmarked six yards out he reacted brilliantly to palm away the Brazilian's strike. Then Jones produced a save of equal quality to thwart Bellamy again.

But Alves was holding his head in frustration again when Given beat away a long-range drive that swerved viciously.

The outstanding Stephen Ireland sparked another City response, sending a cross in front of the gaping Boro goal and Bellamy's outstretched leg before hitting the bar with a spectacular diving header.

Given continued his one-man vendetta against Alves, saving brilliantly with his legs when the striker broke clear.

The decisive moment came when Nigel de Jong found Bellamy lurking wide on the right. The Welshman had spent the whole game testing Emanuel Pogatetz's pace on the outside, but this time he cut in to unleash a low left-foot strike that flew into the bottom corner.

Robinho should have given City more breathing space when Shaun Wright-Phillips sent him clear, but Jones read the Brazilian's feint and saved at his feet.

Moments later Alves again found himself staring into the whites of Given's eyes after Kompany's slip and again the City keeper positioned himself perfectly to save with his left hand.

Boro are staring into the abyss after going 13 league games without a win.

But boss Gareth Southgate said: "My players aren't walking away from the challenge and there's no chance that I will walk away either. I have never shirked away from things."

Man of the Match
Shay Given: City's new keeper was in sensational form and made some stunning saves on his debut
 

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