Schmeichel handed keys to City

Mark Hughes' desire for an experienced goalkeeper to challenge Joe Hart has been reinforced by the England international's two-week enforced absence with an ankle injury, though Kasper Schmeichel has been told that Hart's position will be his for the toughest 10 days in Manchester City's season.

Hughes has been given permission by the Premier League to sign a temporary replacement on loan in Hart's absence and will follow that route, despite the former Sweden goalkeeper Magnus Hedman's apparent uncertainty about joining City. But Schmeichel, who was initially preferred to Hart by Hughes' predecessor, Sven Goran Eriksson, has the force of personality to cope with Arsenal tomorrow and the Manchester derby eight days later, with the Uefa Cup visit to Schalke sandwiched in between. "He's a good young keeper and got [his chance now] on merit," Hughes said of Schmeichel yesterday. "He's a young man with huge self confidence. That's a great strength, even though on occasions maybe that confidence in a young keeper is a negative. He's working extremely hard. He and Joe [Hart] bounce off each other and drive each other on."

The clean sheet Schmeichel kept in last season's Eastlands derby which City won 1-0, before he went out on loan to Cardiff City and Coventry City, will undoubtedly help. For his part, Hedman, 35, claimed he had turned the club down as he feared he was not in the right condition. "They want me to sit on the bench for this weekend's game, but I need at least two weeks' training," he told the Swedish website Sportbladet. "But my answer of no is not definitive. I need to think about it further."

Hedman, who played for Coventry between 1997 and 2002, spent a short period on loan at Chelsea in November 2006 but did not make a first-team appearance and is not currently at a club.