A defiant Shaun Goater told Robbie Fowler yesterday "I won't roll over," after Manchester City completed the ?6-million signing of the former England striker.

The 32-year-old Bermudian is facing arguably the biggest challenge of his professional career with former Leeds' frontman Fowler taking his spot alongside Nicolas Anelka in the Blues' starting line-up.

But Goater told yesterday that he would not give up his shirt without a fight.

Goater has made 15 starts this season and has appeared as substitute on eight occasions, scoring six goals in the process.

A ?400,000 buy in 1998 from Bristol City, Goater is a fan favourite at Maine Road and has played a part in many of the club's biggest achievements in recent times - including scoring twice this season against arch rivals Manchester United.

With the Fowler deal now in the bag, after the player completed a dramatic U-turn, speculation is bound to be rife over what future Goater has at the club.

City boss Kevin Keegan made it clear yesterday that Anelka and Fowler would be his preferred partnership up front, saying: "First and foremost, the thought of him playing with Nicolas Anelka is a dream pairing for me. I like my forwards to be different and they are certainly different. You can't compare them and I can see that working out very well."

However, prior to those comments the manager had taken time out to speak to Goater before Wednesday night's 4-1 victory over Fulham - a game for which he was dropped to the bench despite being fit - and assured him the only way he would leave City is if he himself wanted to go.

"I had a talk with Shaun before the game last night because I left him out and I told him that I would be absolutely delighted if he saw out the last year and a half of his contract with us," said Keegan."I told him he had done a great job for me and that I want him to stay a part of it. He is very important to this club.

"Now if he turns around and says 'I want to play because I am nearly 33-years-old' then that will be his choice not mine. We are building the squad up to be a big club.

"Obviously, some of the younger players who are not good enough will fall by the wayside, but we have to keep a big squad because that is what Manchester United and Arsenal have got."

Goater said he was gratified that the manager had taken him to one side and was determined to continue to do his best for the club.

"When he changes a team you normally expect him to say 'I am changing it because of this'," he said. "But he went further I suppose because of the speculation that it will either be myself or Darren (Huckerby) that would be likely to go. He just made it clear that he still wanted me to be involved and that, despite signing Fowler, I was still in his plans.

"That was good because he didn't really have to say that."

Goater said he saw Fowler's arrival as a challenge, not as a threat.

"It's a different role for me to play but I am certainly going to put up a challenge and not just roll over," he said. "I know he (Keegan) has bought him and he has cost a lot and I know he wants to start him. Some players might just accept that but that is certainly not the way I am going to go about it.

"I will be challenging him and saying 'OK, Robbie you are a good player, you have done well in your time at Liverpool, but I am not just going to easily step aside'."

Goater said taking that stance would work to everyone's benefit, especially with City just two points out of a European spot in the Premiership.

"That will be good for himself, for the club and for me as well," he said.

According to sources several clubs had sounded out City as to the availability of Goater even before the first attempt to sign Fowler ended in failure.

However, it is understood they received a curt 'nothing doing' from Keegan, something the player will have been happy to hear.

With the transfer window in England's top flight due to close at 5 p.m. English time today, there will no doubt be a few more suitors ringing the City switchboard but Goater effectively told them they were wasting their time yesterday.

"If someone came in and the club had agreed I would say 'No'," he said with apparent finality.