Hart fighting for his starting place at Manchester City after series of blunders.

In an interview in these pages at the start of this year, Joe Hart offered a categorical outlook on the often lonely life of a goalkeeper.
‘I don’t care what other people say, I know what I’m doing,’ said the Manchester City and England goalkeeper.
‘I know when I have made a mistake. I don’t need other people to tell me. It cuts deeply.’

No hiding place: Hart trudges off the pitch after Man City's 3-1 defeat by Bayern Munich

Under pressure: Romanian keeper Costel Pantilimon is waiting in the wings

Suffice to say, then, that this will have been a pretty painful week for Hart. Defeat at Aston Villa at the weekend has been followed by another at the hands of Bayern Munich and Hart is being blamed for at least two of the goals conceded to the European champions on Wednesday.
Hart must now listen to speculation about his position with England and City. It is not the first time. The high standards of his early years in the City first team have, it must be said, given way to uncertainty.
Already this season, Hart, 26, has erred in a Barclays Premier League game at Cardiff — City lost 3-2 — and in England’s win over Scotland in a friendly at Wembley. And now this.
England manager Roy Hodgson does not have many options in Hart’s position but City do and it will be interesting to see if Manuel Pellegrini removes him from duty at home to Everton on Saturday.
At City, nobody is in any doubt about Hart’s ability. On arrival in the summer, Pellegrini was asked if the club needed to reinforce this position and replied with an immediate and definitive ‘No’.
His predecessor, Roberto Mancini, did, however, have some misgivings about a man he promoted above Shay Given at the start of the 2010-11 season. Despite winning an FA Cup and Premier League, in the Italian’s mind Hart allowed his standards to drop.
But suggestions that Mancini would have replaced Hart this summer had he remained in charge are wide of the mark. He wouldn’t.

Decision time: Pellegrini could opt to leave Hart out against Everton

There was a personality clash with Mancini and Hart though. Mancini thought Hart was in danger of believing his own publicity at times and thought him too readily influenced by the malcontents in the dressing room last season.
The Italian was disappointed Hart wasn’t strong enough to disassociate himself from those Mancini considered mentally weak. Now it is Hart’s strength of mind that will be important.
Mancini, of course, could start a squabble in an empty room. Hart thought himself vilified unfairly by Mancini — especially in the media — and there were many at City who sympathised with his predicament.

Credit in the bank: Hart is highly thought of at Man City

Maybe it is the ongoing fall-out from an uncomfortable 12 months that continues to affect Hart. He hasn’t been at his very best for a while.
Outgoing and optimistic by nature, the former Shrewsbury goalkeeper occasionally appears less so now, even if he does still stand out as a ‘go-to guy’ for the club when they are seeking to fulfil their community commitments.
Looking forward, Hart has enough credit in the bank with club and country to keep his reputation safe for a while. He needs to find his way out of this trough soon, though. As others before him in the national team have found, goalkeepers’ reputations can sink very quickly.