Ditched Hart will return stronger

JOE Hart is likely to remain on the bench as Manchester City look to take another stride towards the Champions League last 16 this week.

The England goalkeeper lost his place in the City side on Saturday as manager Manuel Pellegrini decided his costly mistake in the previous week’s loss at Chelsea was an error too many.

Hart watched as City crushed Norwich 7-0 at home - a game in which his replacement, Costel Pantilimon, was hardly called into action.

On that basis it would seem harsh to axe the Romanian and so Hart may again find himself playing back-up for tomorrow’s visit of CSKA Moscow in Champions League Group ‘D’.

Midfielder Fernandinho believes what has happened to Hart – hailed as the world’s best just a year ago – is a strong reminder of the high standards demanded at Eastlands.

The Brazilian said: “If the quality is a bit off you must work harder to recover your position and your best quality. If he at the moment is not (at his best), he must work harder. But they are very good ’keepers, he and Pantilimon. I think his career will be better for it.”

City can all but clinch a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League for the first time by repeating their success over the Russians of a fortnight ago.