Given heroics boost Hughes.

Birmingham City 0, Manchester City 0

Mark Hughes praised goalkeeper Shay Given who ensured the Manchester City manager’s 46th birthday was not a complete damp squib as his heroics earned a point at Birmingham.

Given was not one of Hughes’ most costly signings at £8million during the January transfer window, but the former Newcastle shot–stopper is proving to be one of the most significant in City’s bid to break into the Barclays Premier League top four.

He produced a string of fine saves during the goalless draw including a second–half penalty save to deny Birmingham midfielder James McFadden after skipper Nigel De Jong had handled.

Hughes said: “Given played very well. We are pleased that he did. He saved a penalty and kept us in the game and allowed us to take something out of the match.

“I gave him a glowing tribute leading into the game. I don’t think he needed it, and it didn’t inspire his performance against Birmingham, because he does that very capably on his own.

“He is an outstanding goalkeeper and has been for the majority of his career.

“It is not just a case of him coming to Manchester City and producing. He has done it through his career and it is a credit to him. We are very pleased that he is with us.”

Hughes’ side point lifted them into fourth place above Tottenham on goal difference, while they shared the spoils for the fourth successive league game.

But the former Wales manager is remaining upbeat.

He said: “Three of the four draws have been away. We are picking points up away. That’s a positive from our capability last season.

“We made a flying start and people expected us to win every game. That is not going to happen this year.

“We’ve seen right through the Premier League that everyone is dropping points and I am sure that will continue. We are not immune from that.

“This was a game where we just needed to knuckle down and try and get something out of the game and, in the end, we were able to do that.

“We are honest with ourselves. We didn’t produce anything like we know we are capable of. But maybe it is a good lesson and we will be better in terms of what we can produce in similar games in the future.”

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish believes Manchester City will face a similar battle to the one they encountered at St Andrews throughout the campaign.

He said: “I am not going to put Man City down and say we totally dominated them. But Mark Hughes knows he has got top–class players there and they are going to face a battle wherever they go.

“People are going to want to put over on them just as the same we want to do that against the Arsenals, Chelseas and Manchester Uniteds here.

“Whether we can do that is another matter but in this game it was another very good performance by us although City were always dangerous.

“We are a little bit disappointed not to get the three points. I thought it was a very powerful performance by the players and they gave everything they had.

“Just the final touch was the only thing that let us down but, other than that, how can I fault any of the performances of these players.

“I liked the performance against Sunderland last week and I’ve now seen two games in a row of great consistency and quality and they’ve got to take that forward.”