MANIC STREET PREACHERS - MANICS SET FOR DIVA CHART BATTLE

MANICS SET FOR DIVA CHART BATTLE

Alt rock favourites Manic Street Preachers are in a neck and neck battle for number one spot in this week's singles chart with Beyonce and Shakira.

Your Love is Not Enough is the Manics first single release for two years, and music retailer HMV says sales are "really close" between the Welsh band and Beyonce and Shakira's current joint top single Beautiful Liar.

"Either could top the charts come Sunday, though the odds marginally favour Beyonce and Shakira as the incumbents," said HMV spokesperson Gennaro Castaldo on tomorrow's chart race.

Cardigans singer Nina Persson provides supporting vocals on Your Love is Not Enough, which is the first official release from the Manics' new album Send Away the Tigers.

Based on sales so far this week, HMV also predicts that US rap metal outfit Gym Class Heroes will sneak into the top five with their double A-side Cupid's Chokehold and Breakfast in America, while new single Get Down is expected to get Groove Armada back into the top ten after a two-year absence.

Arctic Monkeys' chart domination is also forecast to be scaled back from last week's heady heights of 17 singles in the top 200, with the world-beating Sheffield foursome said to be restricted to four singles (Brianstorm, Fluorescent Adolescent, I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor and Leave Before the Lights Come On) in Sunday's official chart.