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Premier League: Joe Hart wants to stay at Manchester City

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Joe Hart says he wants to play every game ahead of his side's Champions League tie against Roma after he has been a substitute for the last two games.

Joe Hart says he will stay at Manchester City as long as he is wanted, despite his frustration at being dropped.

Willy Caballero was preferred in goal for Saturday's win at Hull City, but the England No 1 is set to return for Tuesday night's Champions League game against Roma.

Hart's recent omission came against the backdrop of ongoing contract uncertainty - he has less than two years to run on his current City deal - but ahead of the Roma game the 27-year-old confirmed he sees his long-term future at the club.

I am happy with what is going on at this club. We are fighting on all fronts.
Joe Hart

Sitting alongside manager Manuel Pellegrini at the pre-match press conference, he said: "I am happy with what is going on at this club. We are fighting on all fronts.

"While I am welcome here, I am more than happy to stay here and see where that takes me."

Asked for an update on Hart's contract situation, Pellegrini said: "Me and Joe know what is happening with that issue. It is important but not the most important thing in this moment."

Champions League Goals

Hart lost his place to Costel Pantilimon last season and sat out seven Premier League games before he was restored to the side.

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"It is hard for me to see (any positives)," he said. "I am sure when I retire from football I will see them, but right now I am not going to see them.

"Of course I want to play every game, that is my nature, my professionalism. I am not the manager, just a player. I live by the decisions of the manager.

"We have always had good goalkeepers - David James, Andreas Isaksson, Kasper Schmeichel, Pantilimon - it has always been a fight for me to keep my place and that will continue.

"But I have always had high standards that I will keep to, whether there is one goalkeeper or 20. I love the challenge."

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Gary Neville joins Ed Chamberlin to look ahead to this week’s Champions League fixtures involving Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City

The immediate task for Hart is to keep out a Roma side who opened their Group E campaign with a 5-1 win over CSKA Moscow as City were losing at Bayern Munich.

He said: "It is obviously a big game after a disappointing start in Munich. We are aware it is the Champions League and not the knock-out phase straight away. We have to build on it especially at home and we are going in trying to win the game.

"Roma have been doing very well. We have focused a lot more on them since drawn in our group, they got a great result in matchday one. Every game is tough in Champions League, but we are up for it and more than capable of winning."

Pellegrini said: "It is normal pressure. Remember last year we started here against Bayern at home and we lost. Maybe that is more pressure. But we lost the first game and won the other five games."

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