Hart Still Out of Favour With Pellegrini

  Manuel Pellegrini has promised that Joe Hart still has a future at Manchester City, amid speculation that he could be replaced or sent out on loan in the January transfer window. Since returning from Birmingham City on loan, Joe Hart has been a permanent fixture in Manchester City’s squad. However, a string of high profile mistakes, both for club and country, have cost him his place in the starting XI. Romanian international goalkeeper, Costel Pantillimon has impressed hugely since replacing Hart, leaving manager Manuel Pellegrini with a headache over his selection.

  Pellegrini has already confirmed that Hart will start in goal for Manchester City in Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Czech side Viktoria Plzen. When questioned on whether Hart would be making a return to the squad for Sunday’s game at home to Swansea, the Chilean replied, “That’s a question for next Saturday. On Wednesday he will start then the next game we'll talk about who will start playing. The important thing for Joe is he will play on Wednesday and we hope he will have a very good performance.”

  Recently, Manchester City have been linked with a winter move for the likes of Victor Valdez and Iker Casillas, amid speculation Joe Hart could be sent out on loan for the remainder of the season. Rumours which Pellegrini, was quick to deny. He said, “There is a lot of news about five, six, seven goalkeepers that we want to buy but it's not true. Of course he stays. There is no chance for Joe Hart to go out from this squad in January.”

  However, aside from Wednesday’s game with Viktoria Plzen, there was no indication as to whether Joe Hart would be making a return to the side any time soon. With Hart’s positioning and decision making coming under such scrutiny in recent months,  and Costel Pantillimon proving he is more than up to the job in goal, Pellegrini may feel it is too much of a risk to bring him back so soon.

   Joe Hart’s mistakes have been costly for Manchester City on numerous occasions over the past twelve months, most recently allowing Fernando Torres a last gasp winner at Stamford Bridge. This, along with a below par performance at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and errors against Sweden, Scotland and Germany for his country, suggest that complacency may have crept in, for a man who was not long ago, considered to be among the best in his trade.

  The managers’ apparent lack of backing will be another blow for Joe Hart, whose place in England’s World Cup squad is far from certain.  With the likes of Norwich City’s John Ruddy, and Celtic’s Fraser Forster snapping at his heels, Hart will want to ensure as much game time as possible to prove his worth to the England boss.  He will certainly have to impress the manager and fans alike, if he is to eradicate the memory of his mistakes, and convince everyone he is England’s, and Manchester City’s number one choice.