Manchester City's Joe Hart expected to be fit for Newcastle battle

[admin]

<div class="track"><img alt="" src="http://hits.guardian.co.uk/b/ss/guardiangu-feeds/1/H.24.1.1/43132?ns=guardian&pageName=Manchester+City%27s+Joe+Hart+expected+to+be+fit+for+Newcastle+battle%3AArticle%3A1740469&ch=Football&c3=Guardian&c4=Joe+Hart+%28football%29%2CManchester+City+%28Football%29%2CFootball%2CSport&c5=Premier+League&c6=Jamie+Jackson&c7=12-May-03&c8=1740469&c9=Article&c10=News&c11=Football&c13=&c25=&c30=content&c42=Sport&h2=GU%2FSport%2FFootball%2FJoe+Hart" width="1" height="1" /></div><p class="standfirst">• Injury scare for league leaders ahead of St James' game<br />• City goalkeeper pays tribute to impact of Carlos Tevez</p><p>Joe Hart has given Manchester City an injury scare ahead of the game at Newcastle United that will be so critical in determining whether they win their first championship since 1968. The England goalkeeper suffered a foot injury late in the 1-0 defeat of Manchester United on Monday that has returned Roberto Mancini's team to the top of the league with only two games to go.</p><p>He has been unable to train since and pulled out of joining his City team-mates on the catwalk during a charity fashion show on Tuesday.</p><p>Hart, an ever-present in the league this season, is having extensive treatment and Roberto Mancini will give an update on his condition at his weekly press briefing . The early indications are that City are confident Hart will be available for Sunday's game and they will not have to call upon his deputy, the Romania international Costel Pantilimon, for his league debut.</p><p>Hart says City will go to Newcastle full of confidence following their derby victory but is refusing to get carried away with the title in sight. He said: "Every game is hard. Newcastle away, Norwich away, Wolves away. It is what it is. It is the Premier League and we go there confident.</p><p>"We are definitely up there as one of the best sides in this league. United have gone now [as opponents this season]. End of. We have played them twice. Now we must focus on Newcastle.</p><p>Hart also welcomed Carlos Tevez's statement that he now wants to stay at the club despite appearing likely to leave earlier this season following his very public falling out with Mancini. "I just heard it on the news," he said.</p><p>"As long as Carlos is here for the next two games I couldn't care less what he does. He is 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 at the moment.</p><p>"We are not outsiders looking in. We are on the inside. We know what is going on. We know what he is going to do for us. Obviously it is great for fans. I really appreciate that. They are not seeing him every day. But we know and see what he is doing. We are very pleased with it."</p><div class="related" style="float: left; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><ul><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/joe-hart">Joe Hart</a></li><li><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/manchestercity">Manchester City</a></li></ul></div><br/><div class="terms"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk">guardian.co.uk</a> &copy; 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our <a href="http://users.guardian.co.uk/help/article/0,,933909,00.html">Terms & Conditions</a> | <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/help/feeds">More Feeds</a></div><p style="clear:both" />
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/EuEQlE3-v6XB9F7q379TVVrHQgU/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/EuEQlE3-v6XB9F7q379TVVrHQgU/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/EuEQlE3-v6XB9F7q379TVVrHQgU/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~at/EuEQlE3-v6XB9F7q379TVVrHQgU/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/theguardian/football/rss/~4/uIYbRAC6SIE" height="1" width="1"/>

More...