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• Founded:1879
• Manager:Steve Bruce

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Mancini defends Fulop capture

29 Apr 2010 - 13:27:23

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Roberto Mancini has defended Manchester City's loan capture of Marton Fulop after claiming it would be "impossible" to play their three remaining games with only one recognised goalkeeper.

Hungary keeper Fulop joined the top-four chasing Citizens on loan from Sunderland on Thursday.

City were facing the prospect of playing their final three games of the Premier League season with just one recognised first-team goalkeeper in the inexperienced Gunnar Nielsen.

Shay Given's dislocated shoulder picked up at Arsenal last weekend left him on the sidelines alongside back-up Stuart Taylor, while Joe Hart is on loan at Birmingham City until the end of the campaign.

Mancini had failed with a request to Birmingham to terminate Hart's loan contract early so that he could return to Eastlands.

"We had only one fit goalkeeper - it is impossible that you can play these three games with only one goalkeeper. For us, it was very important to bring in another goalkeeper," explained Mancini.

"It has not affected our focus on preparing to play Villa. Everything is going okay.

"It was simple. We wanted to get a goalkeeper because we only have one fit one and we asked Sunderland for Marton Fulop. So now we have two goalkeepers for the last three games.

"Marton is a good, experienced goalkeeper. He has settled in well already, he's happy here and I think it is a good chance for him."