Source: Daily_Mail
Shay's Given me the perfect start! Hughes praises Man City's best buy
Despite the mega-money transfers of Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez and Robinho during his time at Eastlands, Mark Hughes has showered praise upon the man who many consider Manchester City's best signing yet: Shay Given.
While other players have gathered more headlines it is the less heralded arrival of goalkeeper Given last January that has made the biggest impact on Hughes's side so far this season.
City have made a perfect start to the Barclays Premier League campaign with three wins from three games, and Given's perfect record of having not yet conceded a goal has been a huge factor in that run.
The Blues are preparing for the visit on Saturday of Arsenal, another side in impressive form, but Hughes believes City could have no better last line of defence against Cesc Fabregas,
Eduardo and co.
Hughes said: 'It's impossible not to concede opportunities and chances to the opposition at Premier League level because this is the toughest league in world football.
'One of the key reasons I wanted to bring him to the club was because he has the ability to organise the back four, is calm with the guys in front and when he is not called upon for long periods until that split-second he's needed, then he is ready.
'That's a key quality. Portsmouth only had two shots on target in our last league game, and the key one was when he stood up to David Nugent.
'That's when he earns his keep and shows his value to the team, otherwise we would have been disappointed at not having got maximum points, given our performance there.
'That can happen in the Premier League, so when it does you want your top players to perform, and that's what Shay has done.'
