Manchester City

Joe Hart: 'Blame us if Manuel Pellegrini is sacked'

By Shane Callaghan, Reporter | 17 April 2015

Joe Hart says that he and his Manchester City teammates deserve some blame for the criticism that has been levelled at manager Manuel Pellegrini in recent weeks.

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has said that the playing staff deserve some of the blame if manager Manuel Pellegrini is sacked in the summer.

The Sky Blues have endured a dismal defence of their Premier League title and sit 12 points behind leaders Chelsea ahead of the final six games.

City have not fared much better in other competitions, bowing out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage to Barcelona, after being knocked out of the FA Cup at home by Championship side Middlesbrough.

Consequently, the Chilean is said to be on borrowed time at Eastlands, and Hart says that he and his teammates are partially accountable for 'letting him down'.

"That's a team of winners," Hart told Sky Sports News. "When you don't win, it's going to be difficult. We want to win, we've got high standards.

"People have been disappointed in their own performances, we've let the manager down a few times in certain games and we've baffled ourselves a little bit because we feel like we've got the quality to beat anyone and that's not been the case.

"[Pellegrini] has got principles that we work to, that we train to and, like I say, we've let him down a few times in that case."

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp is among those tipped to succeed Pellegrini after announcing that he would be quitting the Bundesliga club in the coming months.