Given: Fourth-place finish will strengthen City's hand

Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given believes securing Champions League football will boost the club’s pulling power in the transfer market.

Roberto Mancini’s side currently sit sixth, two points behind fourth-placed Tottenham but with a game in hand, with the Italian manager given the target of a Champions League place when he took over from Mark Hughes earlier this season.

And Republic of Ireland keeper Given told BBC Radio Five Live: “It’s pretty clear, we all know we’ve got to try to finish fourth.

“If we don’t, it would be a disappointing season. There’s pressure on the manager and on the players to try and deliver that.

“We’ll push hard in the remaining games and hopefully get across the line and that would be good, to get Champions League football at Eastlands.

“That would be fantastic and I think it would help to attract a couple of players in the summer as well, to strengthen the squad and move the club forward.”