Manchester United are a "killing machine", admits City goalkeeper Joe Hart
JOE HART has admitted Manchester City’s faltering title defence is being slowly crushed by rivals United’s “killing machine”.
By: Paul Joyce
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is worried by the advance of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad
City and England goalkeeper Hart refused to concede the championship race was over, but admitted City’s inconsistencies have been brutally punished by the ruthless and clinical nature of Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad.
United boast a 15-point advantage over City at the top of the Premier League and Hart said hopes of back-to-back titles at The Etihad had all but faded as their run-in now needed to be “pretty perfect”.
“We worked so hard to get the title that we are never going to just give it away,” said Hart. “I’d imagine from the outside it looks that way but that’s just not the case.
Joe Hart says Manchester City need to be 'perfect' to have any hope of winning back-to-back titlesWe worked so hard to get the title that we are never going to just give it awayJoe Hart
“We are working hard. It’s a tough league. It’s hard to win games. Unfortunately when we do lose, United stretch that lead and it has been disappointing, but we will keep going.
“I don’t know what is different to last season. I’d love to know. It would have been rectified. We’ve done well, but we have been up against a killing machine that has kept turning out results no matter what.
“Maybe we’ve drawn more than we would have liked to. It has not been a perfect season and it needs to be pretty perfect to win this league. We are not in the position we want to be in. We remain focused and hard on the case of what we need to do.
“We are still in one cup, a little further away than we would like to be in terms of the league. But we need to nail down that second spot.
“In doing that it will push us to really go for the title as well. You can’t not go for it. It’s a long way off but we’ve an awful lot to fight for and it’s a big couple of months for us.”
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney has plenty to smile about in race for championship
Despite the prospect of City being usurped by their neighbours, Hart admits he doesn’t hide away from United’s Wayne Rooney, Tom Cleverley, Ashley Young, Chris Smalling, Michael Carrick and Danny Welbeck on England duty.
Hart, who flies to Italy today with England for the World Cup qualifier against San Marino, said: “It’s definitely not a personal thing. What they are doing is exactly what I want to be doing right now this year. And vice versa last year. That’s how it is.
“It’s the same with the Chelsea boys, the Tottenham lads. We are all fighting for something. But we’re not fighting each other, we’re fighting for our teams and clubs. When you come away with England it has gone. We are fighting for England.”
