Shaun Goater will be hoping it's a case of third time lucky when he lines up alongside Nicolas Anelka as Manchester City take on West Brom today, writes Matt Westcott.

After two previous outings together, the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea and the 2-0 victory over Birmingham, manager Kevin Keegan has once again entrusted the pair with firing City up the Premiership table and Goater will be looking to repay that faith with a goal.

“I felt they worked well in isolation at times last week,” said Keegan referring to the club's first away victory of the season at St. Andrews. “But even despite that, as a pair, they were a handful.

“On the training ground they have been working closely together and talking a lot and they are giving it their best shot.”

Keegan said Goater also showed his value as a defender last week, using his height to clear away free kicks.

“Shaun was great at that,” he said. “We are quite a big side and Birmingham, strangely enough, weren't the biggest of sides which we will come up against.”

Kyle Lightbourne will be gunning for his century once again when Macclesfield take on Shrewsbury in Division Three today. The Bermudian striker was denied his 100th goal in league football in midweek when his 35-yard shot took a deflection of a team-mate.