Man City Goalkeeper Joe Hart Has Point to Prove with Champions League Recall

MANCHESTER, England — Etihad Stadium

Joe Hart looks set to return to the Manchester City starting line-up for their crucial Champions League match with Roma on Tuesday, despite him missing wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Hull in the last week. Willy Caballero, signed in the summer from Malaga, deputised in those games, but Hart is likely to be recalled against a Roma side who have won all five of their Serie A matches this season.

City boss Manuel Pellegrini appeared to confirm Hart would start when speaking to BBC Sport after City's win over Hull on Saturday, but he was more guarded at today's Etihad press conference, saying: "The goalkeeper situation, it is not different to the other positions. Tomorrow we will see the starting 11. Joe and me know who will play tomorrow."

Hart has had issues with his form for some time, failing, really, to ever hit the performance level he managed during City’s 2011 FA Cup winning season and the subsequent title win the following year.

He was dropped last season after a series of high-profile blunders, culminating in an error which gifted Chelsea all three points when City visited Stamford Bridge in October. He returned in December and kept his place, with his form steadily improving over the course of the season.

However, errors continue to blot his copybook, with a poor piece of goalkeeping responsible for City’s defeat at home to Stoke earlier this season. His performance against Bayern Munich in City’s last Champions League match was excellent, though, and he will be hoping that display can be the catalyst for better, more consistent form.

Asked whether he felt the threat of Caballero was a positive, Hart said he enjoys the challenge of fighting for his place: "Of course I want to play every game, that is my nature, my professionalism. I am not the manager, just a player. I live by the decisions of the manager.

"We have always had good goalkeepers since I have been here going back to David James, [Andreas] Isaksson, Kasper [Schmeichel], Shay Given, [Costel] Pantilimon, Stuart Taylor.  It has always been a fight for me to keep my place and that will continue but I have got high standards that I like keep to, whether I am the only goalkeeper or one of 20. It excites me, the challenge, I love challenging for my place and I love playing and that will never change. I will continue fighting."

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Hart did admit, though, he struggles with being omitted, saying: “It is hard for me to see it that way [as a positive]. I am sure when I retire from football I will see them [the positives] but right now I am not going to see them.”

Roma got their Group E campaign off to a flying start with a 5-1 win over CSKA Moscow. City, who will be desperate to avoid having to go to the Stadio Olimipico on Matchday 6 needing a win to qualify, know full well the importance of three points in their group home games.

The Roma fans are known for their ability to create a difficult atmosphere for opposition sides, and City would much prefer a repeat of last season's group phase which saw them go into their final group game with Bayern Munich already safely through to the last 16. That is likely to require winning all of their home games, starting with Roma.

And Hart was clear he sees the Roma match as a vital one in their quest to qualify for the knock-out stages of the competition for the second consecutive season.

“It is obviously a big game after a disappointing start in Munich,” Hart said. “We are aware it is the Champions League and not knockout phase straight away. We have to build on it especially at home and we are going in trying to win the game.”

Pellegrini, though, doesn’t feel Roma’s win over CSKA adds extra pressure, saying:

"No I don’t think so. It is normal pressure. Remember last year we start here against Bayern at home and we lost at home. Maybe that is more pressure. I think we were near to draw against Bayern but it was a very good shot with a deflection so we couldn’t add one point.

"But I suppose if we draw against Bayern we have the same question. Last year we lost the first game and won the other five games. I suppose if we play the way we are playing, we are a scoring team, it will be a very tough game but we can win it."

Meanwhile, Fernando and Stevan Jovetic were both involved in City’s light training session in front of the press earlier Monday. Fernando remains unavailable for Tuesday’s match, but Jovetic is ready to be considered for selection again. Both players have missed the last five matches, a period in which City have won just two games. 

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Before the hamstring injury he sustained against Stoke, Jovetic was emerging as a City regular. After a first season badly affected by injuries, he enjoyed an excellent preseason and scored two goals in City's first three league matches of this campaign.

He offers City a different dimension in attack, with a willingness to drop deep to collect the ball and run at opposition defenders unique in the City ranks. His return is a huge boost to City, who recognise the importance of three points on Tuesday night.

Rob Pollard is Bleacher Report's lead Manchester City correspondent and will be following the club from a Manchester base throughout the 2014-15 season. All quotes were obtained first-hand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @RobPollard.