team he made his Premiership debut against last October.

Goater's side, Manchester City, face FA Cup finalists Arsenal at Maine Road in a must-win game for the embattled Blues.

Joe Royle's men are in a relegation dogfight and have to get three points tonight if they are to put any pressure on the teams above them.

Goater missed out on Sunday's defeat at the hands of fellow strugglers Everton with a groin injury, but is hopeful of being back in contention for the match against the Gunners.

Ironically, it was after coming back from injury in October that he made his first Premiership start against Arsene Wenger's team.

A knee problem had kept him out of contention during the early part of the season.

However, it was not a game the big striker will remember with any fondness -- City were on the end of a 5-0 spanking and Goater missed a golden opportunity from just a few yards out.

"I was really looking forward to the game and to playing against some of the big names and players who had been on the World Cup stage,'' he said. "Apart from the result, the experience was everything I thought it would be. I went into the game thinking `this is what you want, this is the stage you want to play on week in, week out, go and enjoy it' and I did on the day.'' Goater remembers the match took a turn for the worse when fiery Australian Danny Tiatto was sent off for a second bookable offence.

City were trailing 2-0 at the time, but Goater had a chance to bring them back into the game.

Fellow striker Paul Dickov found him with a sweet pass, but with an open goal in front of him, Goater spooned the ball over the bar.

"I am not good at finding excuses,'' he said. "But all I would say is that the chance came when I hadn't been playing regular games. I kept thinking about it when I went home and telling myself that at least I had got into the right position to miss it. Keep getting into those positions and the goals will come, I told myself.'' Goater has netted four goals in his last five games and leads the scoring charts at Maine Road along with Costa Rican Paulo Wanchope with nine apiece.

He aims to add to that tally tonight if passed fit and is urging his team-mates to adopt the same positive attitude he had after his Highbury gaffe.

"It is so important to take the positive out of those situations because you can get yourself down and then you are not going to be there for the next chance,'' he said. "You find you can end up going several games without scoring.'' Meanwhile, City boss Royle has dropped regular goalkeeper Nicky Weaver and brought in Carlo Nash for his Premier League debut against Arsenal.

Weaver has been City's first choice for three seasons, missing just six games since making his debut as a 20-year-old in 1998. But two bad blunders in successive weeks, both contributing to City defeats, led to Royle's decision yesterday.

"I have spoken with Nick and I believe it is for his own good, though he may not agree with me,'' said Royle.

"One or two people may have thought that I might have given Nick a rest before. This decision is not a result of playing badly overall. I think it is the right time for Nick.

"He has had almost three continuous seasons and it will do him good. I think people were waiting for something to happen and that situation is a little bit unnerving for the rest. I have done it for Nick's good and not out of any pique or to make him a scapegoat. The time is right.

"Nicky is a good professional and a nice lad and has come a long way in a short time. He was disappointed but he is a professional and I would still stand by my prediction that he will one day play for England.'' Weaver allowed a backpass to roll between his legs, leaving Dion Dublin a tap-in as Aston Villa won 3-1 at Maine Road on March 31.

Against Everton on Sunday he gave away a penalty and later let David Weir's header slip through his hands for Everton's third goal in another 3-1 defeat that left City looking odds-on for relegation.

Nash moved to City from nearby Stockport County for 100,000 in January. "Carlo was brought here to challenge Nick and we are delighted with him,'' said Royle. "He has waited for his chance. He has been very consistent in the reserves and in training and I am sure he will not let us down.'' Shaun Goater: Hoping to get back on the goal trail in a must-win match against high-riding Arsenal tonight.