• Premier League

Pellegrini convinced Hart will regain form

ESPN staff
November 21, 2013
Joe Hart has been backed by Manuel Pellegrini © PA Photos
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Manuel Pellegrini insisted he still trusts Joe Hart and believes the England goalkeeper can return to his best.

Hart has been left out of the Manchester City team for the past four games by Pellegrini after he made a series of errors in early-season games.

And Pellegrini faces a decision whether to recall the 26-year-old, who made several fine saves in England's 1-0 defeat to Germany on Tuesday, or keep faith with Costel Pantilimon when City host Tottenham on Sunday.

Pellegrini reiterated his belief that City need a strong squad but stopped short of saying whether he believes Hart is ready to return after a break that he feels the goalkeeper needed after a heavy workload in recent years.

"I think at this moment that maybe Joe needs a rest but we still have a lot of trust in Joe and he's still a very important player in our squad," Pellegrini told Sky News Arabia.

"It's very important for me as a manager [that] you don't have 11 players - you have 22. I analyse what they do every week. I talk with them. I am absolutely convinced he will come back to his performances of the last two years."

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