Hart: City deserve reward for effort

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart feels that his side will deserve their Premier League title if they hold off rivals Manchester United.

Roberto Mancini’s men triumphed 1-0 against United on Monday to leapfrog their rivals into top spot to leave both clubs on 83 points.

City have the advantage thanks to their superior goal difference and know that a maximum return from their final two games will see them clinch their first title since 1968, but the 25-year-old said they can have no complaints if they stumble at the final hurdle.

“The season doesn’t lie,” Hart told reporters.

“It is all about where you finish at the end.

“Sometimes you are up, sometimes you are down but we have been in a strong position for seven months.”

Hart stated that, despite his side’s slip up at Arsenal, City have been leading the race for some time and, now that they are back in the driving seat, hope to wrap up the league with wins over Newcastle and QPR.

“We are not on a late surge. We have not been battling in fourth or fifth and all of a sudden come good,” he continued.

“After Arsenal, we were strongly reminded that we were leading and then we supposedly cracked up.

“But we are back at the top when it matters. We have two big games to go. Hopefully we wrap up this league.”

The England international has seen team-mates Sergio Aguero and David Silva grab the headlines with stunning performances this season and while Hart has nothing but praise for the pair, he also feels that other members of the squad deserve credit for their hard-working displays throughout the campaign that have sometimes gone unnoticed.

“Sometimes it frustrates me,” he said.

“I love the way Sergio and David have set this Premier League alight but people don’t see the hard work others do. We have to do very well as a team for everyone to be appreciated.

“We know what a fantastic player Paul Scholes is but maybe it only gets noticed quite so much because Manchester United win things.

“Everyone needs their dues.”