Hart was controversially selected ahead of Given for yesterday's Barclays Premier League opener at Tottenham, intensifying speculation the latter will ask to leave the club.

The build-up to the game saw both men threaten to quit if they found themselves out of the side and Given must now decide whether to follow through.

There appears little chance of the 34-year-old Republic of Ireland star regaining the number one jersey in the near future after Hart fully justified his selection at White Hart Lane with a world-class man-of-the-match display.

Manager Roberto Mancini insisted afterwards he would fight to keep Given at the club.

But Hart, who also cemented his status as England number one in front of the watching Fabio Capello, reckons it is up to Given whether he jumps ship.

"Me and Shay both have the same opinions in the fact that we both want to be playing football," the 23-year-old told City's official website, www.mcfc.co.uk.

"It's not my business; it's Shay's business. He's an experienced guy who's been in football for years, so he'll know what to do."

Hart revealed he had spoken to Given after learning he had got the nod in goal yesterday.

"I can't speak highly enough of the guy," he added.

"He's an inspiration keeper-wise and as a person he's great, someone I really look up to and someone I really respect.

"He's been different class and I'm sure whether it's here or whether it's somewhere else, he'll come again and show what a fine keeper he is."

That is precisely what Hart did yesterday as he pulled off a series of stunning first-half saves to secure a goalless draw against Spurs.

The result left mega-rich City's top-four credentials no clearer as their multi-million-pound signings went AWOL for the opening 45 minutes before finally turning up after the break.

It would have been too late but for Hart, although the keeper insisted centre-backs Kolo Toure and Vincent Kompany also deserved praise for some last-gasp interventions.

"I thought they were great," he said.

"When required, they really covered each other's backs well. Kolo swept up and Vinny made the block of the game for me.

"It was unbelievable."

Kompany was lucky not to see red after a fouling Jermain Defoe at the end of the first half, having already been booked.

Hart admitted: "He made a bit of a naughty tackle. But that's just Vinny.

"He plays with his heart on his sleeve, he makes some great tackles and he's so important for this team."

City's summer spending spree has been in stark contrast to the transfer activity at Spurs, whose only new signing - Sandro - has yet to arrive from Internacional.

Manager Harry Redknapp has so far failed in every other attempt to bring in fresh blood and has previously suggested he may need to sell if he does add more new faces.

But he insists that does not mean he is not getting the necessary financial support from chairman Daniel Levy, who had been prepared to spend a reported £7million on Scott Parker recently.

Redknapp said: "I am getting the backing. The chairman's not been a problem.

"There's not been a lack of backing. The chairman's done everything possible but the clubs just suddenly don't want to let the couple of players go that we thought they might well do."

City's almost limitless resources mean they are unlikely to have the same problem and despite their miserable first-half display yesterday, Redknapp believes they remain on course to win the Premier League in the coming years.

"They're going to keep improving, they'll keep bringing in world-class players and, eventually, I'm sure they'll win the championship," he said.

"That's the strength they've got behind them. It'll be very difficult to compete with them."