Shaun Goater knows his status as a crowd favourite at Manchester City will not cut any ice with new boss Kevin Keegan when it comes to who starts in the first game of the new season.

The Bermudian striker has been assured his future lies at Maine Road after a spate of rumours linking him with moves away from Manchester.

However, the player realises that just because the club have said they want to keep him, it does not automatically mean he will have a place in the starting 11 come the opening match against Watford on August 11.

Goater has found the back of the net twice in pre-season, notching a face-saving equaliser in a 2-2 draw with basement outfit Scunthorpe and then adding to Paulo Wanchope's opener in a 2-0 win over Second Division Huddersfield in midweek.

Sandwiched in between those games was a defeat at the hands of Tranmere after which former England boss, Keegan, left the players in doubt as to how he felt.

"I wouldn't want to repeat what the gaffer said, but it's good because he sets standards from the off," Goater said. "No-one can dare to relax now, no matter how much of a favourite you are with the crowd.

"He's set his stall out, had a go at us and it's up to us individually to respond. Now we have to keep doing that throughout the season."

Goater said as the matches went on he could feel himself getting back to 100 percent fitness.

"The main thing is getting the feeling of hitting the back of the net again. I haven't played a full 90 minutes yet so the sharpness will come as the fitness gets better," he said.

"The gaffer has basically asked us to keep raising the standard throughout because we're not far from kick-off now. He wanted us to put the most in and then take a break."

Meanwhile, Kyle Lightbourne gets another run out for his new club Macclesfield Town this weekend as the Silkmen tune up for the new term with a match against Bury.

The striker scored on his first appearance for the Third Division side, lobbing the goalkeeper from 16 yards in a 2-0 win over Tranmere earlier in the week.