Given’s City slickers make their point

A remarkable week for Shay Given ended with a huge sigh of relief for the goalkeeper in Wigan yesterday.

Having helped Ireland seal a World Cup play-off place before winning his 100th international cap, Given was handed the captain’s armband by Manchester City manager Mark Hughes at the DW stadium.

But what should have been a proud moment for Given, skippering the Premier League’s biggest spenders in the absence of Kolo Toure, almost ended in acute embarrassment.