Why Shay Given is not only Manchester City's best signing, but the best keeper in the Premier League

By David McDonnell

Published 10:44 07/12/09

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Of all the big-name, big-money signings Mark Hughes has made at Manchester City, one of his cheapest acquistions is proving to be the most effective of them all.

At £6million, Shay Given has represented remarkable value for money for City, arguably more so than Robinho, Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Joleon Lescott or Kolo Toure.

Given's late penalty save from Frank Lampard, which ultimately ensured City beat Chelsea, was the latest act of heroism from the Republic of Ireland keeper since leaving Newcastle last January after 12 years there.

After City's 2-1 win over Chelsea, Hughes acknowledged there were similarities between Given and his former Manchester United team-mate Peter Schmeichel, in terms of their aura and security they transmit to the defenders in front of them.

Sir Alex Ferguson used to say Schmeichel was worth 10 to 12 points a season to United, such was his commanding presence between the posts, and Given is no different in that respect.

The 33-year-old has come to City's rescue on countless occasions this season when their newly-assembled defence has been found wanting.

As such, it's fair to say Given has ensured City are maybe seven or eight points better off thanks to his exploits.

Reliable goalkeepers are a precious commodity in the modern game. Just ask Fergie, who went through a succcession of candidates to replace Schmeichel in the wake of his departure from United 10 years ago.

Among Fergie's keepers were the hapless Massimo Taibi, the eccentric Fabien Barthez and the unreliable Tim Howard, until Edwin van der Sar answered the call of duty by joining from Fulham in 2005.

And with van der Sar likely to quit at the end of this season at the age of 39, Fergie will once again be faced with a goalkeeping dilemma, with Ben Foster and Tomasz Kuszczak not possessing the necessary gravitas to be No.1 at United.

So Hughes has pulled off a masterstroke with the signing of Given, who at 33 is entering his peak years as a goalkeeper.

It says everything about Given's stature that Lampard's penalty miss was his first for Chelsea since September 2006.

Lampard is a skilled penalty-taker, but when faced with Given, his customary assurance deserted him and he failed from the spot.

Few keepers possess the ability to get inside a penalty-taker's mind and win the mental battle before the spot-kick is taken, but Given did just that.

Best keeper in the Premier League? On current form, unquestionably.

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