Joe Hart ready for lengthy title tussle

Manchester: Joe Hart is expecting Manchester City to go toe-to-toe with Chelsea for the Premier League title in what could be a titanic tussle, but the goalkeeper warned that defending the title is particularly tough.

Saturday’s 3-0 win over Crystal Palace was City’s eighth in a row in all competitions and drew the champions level with Chelsea on 39 points, before the west London club restored their lead by beating Stoke City on Monday night.

City were nine points behind on 29 November, albeit having played a match fewer, and their resurgence suggests the race may go to the wire. Asked if he expected an epic battle, Hart said: “I hope so. I hope we’re in [it].

“That will mean we’ll have had a good season if we’re toe-to-toe with them, because they have started fantastically and for us to be in the position we are is down to winning eight on the spin.

“It’s going to be a long season, there are a lot more teams to come into it. We appreciate that but have got to keep doing what we do.”

City travel to Stamford Bridge on January 31 for a showdown with Chelsea. “There’s a lot more to do before then,” Hart said.

“There’s the FA Cup too, which we’re keen to do well in this year. We were disappointed with the previous two seasons or three seasons, so there’s a lot more to play for and it’s exciting to be involved.”

Hart is unsure if Jose Mourinho’s team will suffer psychologically after the reduction in their big lead.

“Chelsea are a strong team, they’ve got a strong manager and will do what they need to do. But I think they appreciate and totally expect us to push them,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s any surprise we’re on their tails and we’re not surprised that they’re doing so well. As far as that [the lead being cut] goes, I think it’s interesting for you guys but I think they just stick to what they do and appreciate it’s a long season, the same as we do.”

Hart said City needed this winning run, which included European victories at home to Bayern Munich and 2-0 at Roma.

“To get back into the situation we wanted to be in the Champions League and doing what we’re doing [in the league] we had to win eight, and we have, and it’s put us in a good place,” said the England goalkeeper, who is keen City avoid a repeat of their disappointing title defence under Roberto Mancini two seasons ago.

“I take my hat off to anyone who has retained a title because it’s difficult. We failed last time and we don’t want to do it again. We’re all aware of what happened last time. I think we’ve turned it around in the right situations. We’ve won ugly.

“After a really tough one against Roma, to go to Leicester and battle out a 1-0 was just as big as beating Roma. It was the same [against Palace].”

Asked why retaining the Premier League is so difficult, the 27-year-old said: “I’ve not had much experience of it but the little bit that I’ve had, it’s just hard to win the league. Winning the thing in the first place is really hard, you’ve got to be consistent.”

Hart signed a new five-year deal last week and is enjoying some of his finest form since joining City in 2006. Last season Manuel Pellegrini dropped him in the autumn and Hart said he benefited from that spell on the sidelines.

“I don’t look back as though everything is in the past — it’s all relevant and part of what is going on. It’s definitely part of the journey,” the 27-year-old said.

“I’m really lucky that there have been good times and bad and that spell pushed me on, gave me a reset mode. Now I’m feeling good about what I’m doing and I’m working hard, trying to improve all the time.”

— Guardian News & Media Ltd, 2014