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Joe Hart 'doesn't care' why Pep Guardiola dropped him from Manchester City but insists he wasn't given 'fair fight'

He only ever played once under Guardiola before leaving the club

Monday 02 October 2017 11:39 BST

Hart had a tough start to life at West Ham, conceding 10 in his first three games (Getty)

Joe Hart believes he was not given a “fair fight” at Manchester City but insists Pep Guardiola’s reasons for loaning him out “does not make a difference to my life”.

The England goalkeeper was kept on the bench behind Willy Caballero at the start of Guardiola’s reign and only played once for him before leaving on loan for Torino as Claudio Bravo was brought in to replace him.

He returned in the summer but City were unable to find a buyer leading to West Ham coming in to take him on loan where he conceded 10 goals in his opening three games.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Show all 23

1/23Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Thibaut Courtois - 4

Horrendous mistake for the first goal, completely mistiming his punch. Was solid in every other part of his game but matches of this magnitude are often won and lost on the small details.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Branislav Ivanovic - 6

Terrible first half performance that included three terrible errors that, fortunately for Chelsea, went unpunished. Made up for that with a brilliant pass to find Hazard for the goal and was much better after half-time.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

John Terry - 7

Made one bad error when he got underneath a long ball to allow Aguero through on goal but again proved he is the best English defender out there.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Kurt Zouma - 8

Still has huge room for improvement but the 20-year-old has all the tools to become one of the very best in the world. Deserves to be keeping England's first-choice centre-back on the sidelines.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Cesar Azpilicueta - 5

Jesus Navas had the better of his compatriot all evening. Azpilicueta was beaten in a way Chelsea fans have not often seen.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Nemanja Matic - 8

Stepped up his game in the absence of Fabregas to put in a complete midfield performance. Truly great on and off the ball, the giant Serbian was the best player on the park.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Ramires - 7

Held his position well as the holding midfielder and only made the occasional burst forward, Ramires was very good but its hard to argue that the Blues missed the wizardry of Cesc Fabregas.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Willian - 5

Hassled and harried his way through the 90 minutes, Willian was excellent in the defensive and middle thirds of the field but produced little to nothing in areas where he could do damage. Set-pieces delivery was also poor.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Oscar - 6

Another who failed to produce in the final third, Oscar played deeper than he has done for the most part this season which blunted his effectiveness

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Eden Hazard - 6

Brilliant in the first 45, causing all sorts of problems for Bacary Sagna but was extremely quiet after the break as City closed off the space around the dangerous Belgian.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Loic Remy - 7

Was brilliant in the lone striker role, holding the ball up well to bring his team-mates into the game. Great movement to find space for the goal, it was a shame for Chelsea that the trio behind him starved the striker of service.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Joe Hart - 6

Nothing he could do about the goal and was hardly tested otherwise by the home side. Looked reasonably solid throughout, bar one dodgy kick.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Bacary Sagna - 6

Struggled in the first half against Hazard but grew into it as it went on, to snuff out the Hazard threat. Combined excellently with Jesus Navas. Lost Hazard for the goal.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Vincent Kompany - 7

Defender manfully, though he wasn't always the most comfrotable in possession. In truth, Chelsea didn't offer much threat.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Martin Demichelis - 7

Had an excellent match but went to sleep to allow Loic Remy to steal into yards of space for the goal.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Gael Clichy - 8

Didn't put a foot wrong on the left and never gave Willian the chance to do anything of note in the final third. Offered a good outlet going forward as well.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Fernandinho - 7

Was one of the best City performers with a display full of energy and purpose. Pushed the visitors forward, passed well and was not averse to stopping Chelsea by any means necessary.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Fernando - 7

Gave Matic as good as he got in midfield and provided the City defence with superb cover throughout the game.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Jesus Navas - 7

Gave Cesar Azpilicueta the hardest game he's played all season but for all the occasions he beat his opposite number he failed to deliver that telling ball.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

James Milner - 7

Barely troubled Ivanovic as an attacking force but you can't downplay his importance to the City cause as a worker and defender.

Getty

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

David Silva - 7

Was not able to offer his usual craft when in possession as he was well marshalled by Matic and Ramires, but got an absolutely vital touch to turn Aguero's shot past Ivanovic.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Sergio Aguero - 5

Five games since returning from injury and the usually lethal striker is misfiring. Latched on to a Terry mistake to race through on goal for a chance that a pre-injury Aguero would have tucked away - he fired wide.

Chelsea vs Manchester City player ratings

Frank Lampard - 5

The stage looked set for another Lampard goal against his former club but it was not to be. Given a great ovation at the end from his former supporters.

Getty Images

Hart was dropped earlier in his City career when Mark Hughes was manager but admits he did not get the sense he would be given a “fair fight” to win his place back this time.

“When I was 22, when Hughes did it, it made me a lot angrier than it did this time. I didn’t know how to deal with or how to cope with it,” Hart told The Offside Rule Exclusives.

“So when this happened I was all up for a fight, and a fair fight is good for me and if I lose I will shake hands with my opposition, but I realised this wasn’t going to be my opportunity for a fair fight so I looked elsewhere.

Hart was immediately dropped to the bench by Guardiola (Getty)

“There was no point getting upset or irate because there was only ever going to be one winner and that was going to be the guy who Manchester City had put in charge.”

West Ham do not have an option to buy Hart at the end of the season but he is aware that as long as Guardiola is manager he will have to look for new employers.

“He has a lot of power and City fought like hell to get him as their manager and he had decisions to make and he made that with me,” he added.

“That's life and that's football. We all want a fair chance at everything but that's not how it works. I'm not going to second guess why he wanted to get rid of me.

“The only thing that came of it is that I had to leave. Why he did it or what his intentions were I don't really care because it makes no difference to my life.”

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