City boss to rule on Hart

MANUEL Pellegrini has a difficult decision on his hands this weekend: to stick with off-form ‘keeper Joe Hart or retain Romanian Costel Pantilimon for tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League clash with Norwich City.

The England goalkeeper has been responsible for errors that have cost his team games in recent times — meanwhile Pantilimon did his cause no harm by keeping a clean sheet over 120 minutes in the Capital One Cup victory against Newcastle United on Wednesday.

Pellegrini refused to speculate on who he might pick for tomorrow, but he was keen to talk up the performance of Pantilimon.

The concern for Pellegrini is that dropping Hart now would further damage his confidence.

Pellegrini has other problems to worry about, with forward Stevan Jovetic suffering a calf injury early on against Newcastle.

The Montenegran, who joined City from Fiorentina in the summer, has managed only five appearances for the club so far.

Captain Vincent Kompany remains on the sidelines because of a thigh problem.