Source: Daily_Mail
Birmingham 0 Man City 0: Unsung Shay saves the day: Given spot on to deny Alex McLeish's men
[LNB] [LNB]The marketing department at Eastlands never plastered Shay Given's face across a giant billboard when he joined the club. [LNB]But when Manchester City 's cash is-no-object campaign is picked over, it's a fair bet that the Irishman's name will be up in lights. [LNB]Of course, Given hasn't crossed the great Manchester divide in the same manner as Carlos Tevez. But if there is one performer amid the glittering array of talent at Mark Hughes's disposal who can claim that no manager in the Premier League would turn down his services, it is Given. [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] Safe hands: Shay Given's penalty save was one of many that earned the Irishman the Man of the Match award[LNB]It will come as no surprise that the Dubliner was equal to whatever Alex McLeish's side mustered at St Andrew's. But what did cause a few raised eyebrows was the sustained pressure exerted by a side that cost one twentieth of the funds lavished upon Hughes.[LNB] Birmingham chased, harried, blocked, bullied and scrapped for this point. They would have taken all three had it not been for one person. [LNB][LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] Villain: Gareth Barry (left) was booed by home fans because of his connections to city rivals Aston Villa[LNB]The moment that mattered arrived in the 55th minute when Given savedJames McFadden's penalty, instantly causing around 20,000 Brummies tomirror the Scot's head-in-his-hands anguish. [LNB]Hughes said:'Shay played very, very well. He saved a penalty and there were otherkey moments in the game when he kept us in it. He is an outstandingkeeper. He has produced it regularly thoughout his career.' [LNB]Before the penalty, Given had twice denied the lively and industrious Christian Benitez as Birmingham sensed that a significant scalp was theirs for the taking. [LNB]'In my opinion Shay Given was the man of the match,' said McLeish. 'On another day we could have won this comfortably. But that's why they paid big money for him.[LNB]'It's said that great goalkeepers maybe save you 10 points over thecourse of the season. I felt that was certainly true today because Icannot criticise any of my players for their efforts.'[LNB]In the final reckoning a point satisfied both managers, although forentirely different reasons. For Hughes, his 46th birthday was notentirely spoiled by opponents who gave every last ounce of effort in abid to make up for a series of performances that have not alwaysbrought the rewards they deserved. [LNB]However, there were contrasting emotions in the home camp. McLeishwould certainly have taken a share of the spoils before the start. But,having witnessed what he called 'as powerful a performance as I've seenhere', he will be feeling empty this morning.[LNB] An injury-time red card for the otherwise outstanding Barry Ferguson will only deepen his frustration. [LNB]It started well for Birmingham. Benitez tried his luck from outside thearea after picking up a loose ball. His shot deflected off VincentKompany and seemed to be arrowing into the bottom corner but Givenreacted quickly, diving to his left and palming the ball on to thepost.[LNB]Two minutes later, Cameron Jerome and Seb Larsson both pressed thevisitors' defence into mistakes and Given stood tall, blockingBenitez's shot as the Ecuadorian broke through.[LNB]McFadden and Lee Bowyer both saw efforts from distance blockedbefore the penalty. Larsson jumped for a high ball with Nigel de Jong,whose raised arms struck the ball, leading Mike Dean to point to thespot. [LNB]McFadden kept his cool earlier this season againstPortsmouth in the final minute with David James facing him. But thisstrike from 12 yards was not hit anywhere near as cleanly and Givenguessed correctly and saved to his left. [LNB]Having wasted sucha chance, Birmingham could have buckled. They didn't, but the balanceof play was altered. Tevez saw one shot tipped over by Maik Taylor.Otherwise a selection of Birmingham bodies were thrown in the way ofeverything. [LNB]Hughes felt Tevez should have been awarded apenalty going into the final 10 minutes when the Argentine steppedinside Larsson and fell over a leg that remained outstretched forlonger than it should have been. [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB]He's off: Referee Mike Dean shows Birmingham's Barry Ferguson a red card in injury time [LNB]Dean's attention might have been diverted by the fact thatBirmingham centre-half Roger Johnson had taken a shot in the windpipeand immediately signalled for medical attention. [LNB]'If we had won the game with that, it would have been unfair on Birmingham,' conceded Hughes magnanimously after the final whistle. [LNB]It was, however, a clean sheet. For a side that has not been able to make that boast in the previous eight fixtures, it was worth something.[LNB] Worryingly, though, City now have only one victory in six games. And that statistic is far more damning for a club with their ambitions.[LNB] [LNB] [LNB] [LNB] You need English lessons, Zabaleta tells fellow Argentine TevezMark Hughes will give Robinho his City exit... but only in the summerBirmingham v Manchester City: the action as it happenedBIRMINGHAM CITY FC NEWS FROM ACORRS THE WEBMANCHESTER CITY FC NEWS FROM ACORRS THE WEB[LNB]
