Hart: We won’t crack again
Posted Friday, May 04, 2012 by The Sun
MAN UP ... City keeper Joe Hart will fight for title
JOE HART dismissed claims Manchester United have handed City the league but insisted: ‘We are top because we deserve to be.’
Now Hart says the team is fully focused on turning their goal difference advantage over the Red Devils into a title in the last two games.
The colossal battle with United has seen City blow a five-point lead then United surrender an eight-point advantage.
But for England goalkeeper Hart, top is top. The 25-year-old said: “We were strongly reminded that we were leading and then we supposedly cracked up.
“But we’re back at the top when it matters. We have two games to go. Hopefully we can get a couple of goals and wrap up this league.
“We are not on a late surge. We have not been battling in fourth or fifth and all of a sudden come good. We have been top of the league, or chasing the leaders by a couple of points, all season.
“That is how it works. Someone slips up, someone wins. It is a result of what has happened all season who is on top. The season doesn’t lie.
“Someone asked Arsene Wenger the other day about whether Wigan were in a false position and he said it was a long season.
“It is where you finish at the end. Sometimes you are up, sometimes you are down.
“We have been in a strong position for seven months.”
Now, after beating United 1-0 in Monday’s derby, they have the small matter of a trip to Champions League- chasing Newcastle on Sunday — another must-win game.
Hart said: “The United game is gone now. We have played and beaten them twice. Now we must focus on Newcastle.”
There has been plenty of focus on the likes of David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez as City have fought back in the title race.
But Hart says it is time people started focusing on City’s unsung stars and appreciating exactly what they have done to put them back on top.
Hart believes people have forgotten the contribution of homegrown stars like Gareth Barry and Joleon Lescott. He added: “I can’t speak highly enough of those two.
“Sometimes it frustrates me, not because I don’t want people to get praise. I love the way Sergio and David have set this Premier League alight.
“But it is frustrating that people don’t see the hard work. We have to do very well to be appreciated.
“Paul Scholes gets noticed because Manchester United win things.
“We know what a fantastic player he is but maybe it wouldn’t be noticed if he wasn’t in such a good team. You have to win for people to realise how good your team is.
“Joleon and Gareth really fit into that — and Gael Clichy, I want to mention him as well, plus Pablo Zabaleta and Vincent Kompany. He is our captain and our leader.”
In recent weeks one player has returned to the fold to help the cause. Tevez ended his exile in Argentina and has started in each of the last four games, scoring four.
Now there is even talk of him staying on for next season.
But Hart says that right now he is only interested in Tevez turning it on away to Newcastle then at home to QPR on the final day.
He said: “As long as Carlos is here for the next two games I couldn’t care. He’s really making a difference in our side at the moment. His future is for him and the club to decide. I am really pleased and privileged to have him in the side” Meanwhile, former England keeper David James believes successor Hart is now Europe’s No 1.
James ended up being first choice at the last World Cup after Robert Green’s howler against the USA.
His international career came to an end after the sorry last-16 defeat to Germany, which proved to be his 53rd and final England appearance.
Hart took over immediately and has since gone on to prove why he is regarded as England’s best current keeper by some distance.
And James insists Hart is better than Spain skipper Iker Casillas, the man generally regarded as the world’s best. The 41-year-old insisted: “Joe is better than Casillas.
“He is recognised as No 1 because he’s won the World Cup, European Championship and has been fortunate to be at one of the biggest clubs in Europe for years. But Joe’s distribution is 10 times better than Casillas’. He makes all the saves, he takes all the crosses. He can do much more than Casillas.
“If Casillas was in the Premier League, he’d struggle. Put him in Wolves’ team. See how good he is then. Joe is head and shoulders above everyone else.”
James made 100 appearances for City between 2004 and 2006, when he left for Portsmouth.
James added: “He came to City just as I was leaving. He was good then and has got better — he has the whole package.”
Hart has also been mentioned as a potential England captain since John Terry was stripped of the honour.
It is a task Casillas has done superbly for Spain, although James believes Hart could do without the added responsibility.
He added: “As wonderful as I think he is, I am not sure if he needs to be England captain.
“He hasn’t captained City and you have people like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard who have done that role."
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