Allardyce facing a dilemma over Given

Sam Allardyce admits he may not be able to keep Shay Given happy at Newcastle if he cannot guarantee the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper a game.

Given was recalled for the Carling Cup game at Arsenal in midweek and was man of the match despite the home side's 2-0 win.

But Steve Harper, who has been understudy to Given for almost a decade, is likely to reclaim his place at Manchester City tomorrow.

That will be another blow in a difficult year for Given, who required stomach surgery and months of rest after a collision with Marlon Harewood at West Ham. The former Celtic keeper has suffered a series of niggling problems related to that clash.

When Allardyce arrived, Given was injured again after suffering a groin strain in pre-season and Harper has been outstanding in Given's absence.

Given admitted he was unhappy at his situation earlier this month, before starring in Ireland's Euro 2008 qualifiers in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and was seeking talks with Allardyce who promoted 19-year-old Fraser Forster to the bench at the Emirates.

The Newcastle manager said: "I chose Shay on Tuesday but in reverse I would have picked Steven Harper for the Arsenal game if Shay had been playing regularly in the Premiership.

"When you have got two outstanding goalkeepers the hardest part of the job is keeping one happy when one is not playing and the other one is in the team. That is the hardest part of management but to have two such outstanding keepers is also comforting.

"Will Shay be happy on the bench? He cannot be. Impossible. Steve Harper is slightly better at it but it is not about making a decision based on who will create more problems for me. It is all about what you think is the right thing, or the right goalkeeper, for that particular time."