team for Saturday's important playoff semi-final, first-leg match against Wigan.

Goater, who reached the 20-goal mark for the fifth straight season in the recent 2-2 draw against Bristol Rovers before going off with a hamstring strain, missed City's 4-0 romp over relegated York which enabled them to finish third in the Second Division standings.

However, Goater trained this week and is expected to reclaim his spot in the front line alongside his 13-goal partner Paul Dickov. While city rivals, Manchester United, look to wrap up another Premiership title this weekend, Manchester City will be battling to get back into the First Division at the first attempt.

They will rely on Goater and Dickov to lead them to a good result at neighbouring Wigan.

"I trained today and the last couple of days I've been getting treatment,'' said the Bermudian striker who is completing 10 years as a professional in England.

"I got through today and if there is no reaction tomorrow I'll be alright.

Once I declared myself fit I would think I will be starting.'' It has been an up and down campaign for Goater and the club, relegated to the Second Division last season for the first time. In the end Walsall's consistency forced them to settle for a playoff spot and now their season will hinge on their next two or three matches.

"I had a lean spell around Christmas going into January and February, but I've reached the 20-goal mark and with two, possibly three games to go, I'm looking to add to that.'' Wigan were the last of the four playoff qualifiers but Goater expects a tough match from them nonetheless.

Goater scored the only goal when City won at Wigan earlier this season while the return match at Maine Road was a 1-1 draw.

"We're concentrating on doing our job, it's going to be a difficult game,'' Goater concedes.

"They won the Auto Windscreens and recently they've had a couple of good wins so they'll be high on confidence. But we know if we play anywhere near where what we are capable of playing we will come out winners.'' Goater says already away tickets for the City fans are scarce.

"They hold about 10,000 so I think we'll only have about 1200 there,'' said Goater. "We would take, easily, around 10,000 fans because it's only about 30-40 minutes away.

"We trained at Maine Road today -- we normally don't because we have a training ground -- and we saw people there in sleeping bags.

"I think they actually slept overnight to try to get tickets. I know the home match will be a sell-out as well.'' If City can see off Wigan they will meet the winners of the Preston-Gillingham match in the final at Wembley Stadium. It could be a second trip to that famous stadium for Goater who led Rotherham to victory in the Auto Windscreens final in 1996, though he would gladly miss that trip if automatic promotion was the alternative.

"It also cuts your summer short by two weeks,'' he says of the end-of-season playoffs.

"Kyle (Lightbourne) is actually on holiday now whereas I have to go in and continue running up and down. Hopefully we get the rewards in the end.'' Goater accepts Wasall were deserving of the second promotion spot behind Fulham.

"Well done to Walsall, I believe they deserve it, they've been consistent all season and it would have been sickening for them to miss out in the last couple of games.

"We've got the long way but, fingers crossed, we hope to do it. Wembley is two games away and until we actually get there I won't be thinking about it.''