Kolo Toure promised to protect Gunnar Nielsen after Manchester Ciy's Champions League hopes were placed in the hands of the rookie Faroe keeper.

With three games remaining, Roberto Mancini's side have closed to within a point of Tottenham with their May 5 clash at Eastlands looking likely to decide fourth place. But unless Stuart Taylor recovers in time from a knee injury, the shoulder dislocation suffered by Shay Given means the Arab-backed millionaires will have the 23-year-old Nielsen in goal for their biggest matches of the season.

Toure said: "Shay is a massive player for us but we saw a young goalkeeper come on against Arsenal and he did really well. As a team we will protect him and try to help him and try to make him really confident for the three games coming. As a team we will help him and try to make him really confident. I am sure he can be really important for us."