Manchester City (1) v FC Timisoara (0):REPUBLIC of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given may make his first start of the season when Manchester City face Timisoara tonight.
City manager Roberto Mancini suggested yesterday that he might start Given: “First I will speak with him. It’s different for goalkeepers. I want to speak with him and I’ll decide after that.”
Holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg in Romania last week Mancini may also start Brazilian striker Jo who it seems is being given another chance to prove himself in England.
Jo was introduced, ahead of Emmanuel Adebayor, as a second-half substitute in the 3-0 defeat of Liverpool on Monday and he could be in line for his first City start for 19 months.
Mancini was working on a strike partnership of Jo and Adebayor in training yesterday, with Carlos Tevez rested in an experimental line-up in which James Milner, Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure were also missing.
The message from the Italian was that Jo is off the transfer list. “I have been able to see Jo close-up in the last two months and what I have seen makes me think he’s a good player,” Mancini said.
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