Hart optimistic after another clean sheet

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is relishing the challenge of facing Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Hart kept a clean sheet as the league leaders beat Wigan 1-0 at the DW Stadium on Monday thanks to a header from Edin Dzeko in the first half.

“Yeah we needed it, the big man (Dzeko) needed his goal in the first half. The lads have done great,” he told Sky Sports.

“It wasn’t a pretty pitch out there but fair play to Wigan, it’s a false position for me where they are in the league so it’s a great result for us. We haven’t been great on the road recently so we’re really happy.”

The England No.1 put in a man-of-the-match performance, including an outstanding save with his foot from a James McCarthy effort, but the 24-year-old said it was a good team effort.

“Yeah I’m not having much to do, but recently that’s not the case but it was nice to make that save,” Hart said.

“Like Edin said we’re all pulling in the same direction whether it be a save or anything.”

“I thought Joleon (Lescott) was fantastic and it was nice to see Nedum Onuoha getting on the pitch as well. So I’m pleased for everyone.”

The win puts Roberto Mancini’s men three points clear of Manchester United at the top with Sir Alex Ferguson’s side facing Arsenal on Sunday after City play Spurs in an earlier kick-off.

When asked if it was a good opportunity to further the gap, Hart said that they are focusing on themselves and are relishing the challenge to play a “fantastic” Tottenham side.

He added: “Yeah I think so but I think we’re just focusing on ourselves, as cliche as that is.”

“We’ve got a massive game against Spurs, they’ve been fantastic this season so we’re going to relish that and look forward to bringing them to our place.”

Goalscorer Dzeko rued squandering plenty of other chances in the game but he was happy to get back on the scoresheet.

“I think maybe we could have scored maybe one or two more goals but at the end we are happy with the three points because it was a tough game. Wigan played very good as well at the end there.

“Yeah I’m happy again to score to help my team to win. It’s football, sometimes you score sometimes you don’t but I’m happy to score again today.”