Given vs Hart - the battle for the no.1 shirt

After quite an astounding poll on MEN in recent weeks, 73% of City fans are thought to prefer Joe Hart as number one next season to Shay Given - a surprisingly high percentage. Whether this is how the management see it is another question but, should Joe not be tempted by an offer from Arsenal etc., there should be a healthy battle for the goalkeeping spot next season.

As one of England's international goalkeepers this summer, Hart will be hoping not to concede ground by starting on the bench for his club (although this hasn't denied Heskey a World Cup spot!). After being voted PFA Goalkeeper of the Year, Hart will surely have offers on the table should he feel he won't get first-team football this coming season and Mancini will have the task of keeping both him and Given happy.

City have stated they want both keepers at the club but, as Joe has the potential to be a very good keeper, if he agitates for first-team football, another loan move would be preferable to a sale. Although this is all on the premise that Shay retains his number one shirt, which you would think he will. With the increase in games brought about by the Europa League, there is the idea that Joe may be reserved as a Cup keeper, with Shay playing in the league. Whilst it is important for keepers to develop a relationship with the defenders infront of them, this would allow Hart to maintain some pressure on the number one shirt - and have the chance to prove it should be his.

There has been a strangely subdued acceptance of Shay Given since his arrival from Newcastle. After initial acclaim for his eye-catching saves, doubts have begun to set in. Namely about his ability to command an area. Shay is small for a goalkeeper and it is true that we have looked our most vulnerable to aerial balls - especially deep crosses. His distribution does also leave something to be desired sometimes. But he is still a top quality goalkeeper. Not perfect, but top quality nonetheless. Perhaps all the gushing praise that came his way - from Hughes through to Trappatoni ("second best to Buffon") - raised the bar in our expectations.

For those who want to search for an answer to Given's perceived weaknesses, these faults are readily answered by Hart - a keeper all too happy to come off his line and claim the ball. Perhaps this is why the percentage favouring Hart is so high. This along with his impressive, and busy, season at Birmingham (although, he hasn't had the same intense level of scrutiny that has become the norm at CoMS), has pushed him close enough to the man who ended his first-team spell under Hughes.

All this speculation could be made obsolete by Shay's fitness. He believes he will be fully fit for the start of the season, but if he is not and Hart deputises for the first few weeks, maybe it will be Given's to win back. Such competition can only be good for City though - and this sort of depth in quality is what is expected at the level we are wanting to go.

I would be very surprised if Given doesn't start the season as first choice, but as Hart will probably benefit from Shay's experience on the training ground, it wouldn't be inconceivable for it to change hands during the campaign.