Joe Hart: Man City goalkeeper says he accepts being dropped

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart says he had to be "man enough" to cope with being dropped last year.

The England international lost his place to Costel Pantilimon after a string of high-profile errors before being recalled in December.

Pantilimon has played in most of City's League Cup and FA Cup ties this season.

"You have to be able to accept when you are playing or not," Hart, 26, told Football Focus ahead of Sunday's League Cup final against Sunderland.

"After being dropped I just did what I always did - I went and trained hard and listened to what the manager had to say and knuckled down and got on with my job to the best of my ability.

"When managers have got decisions to make, whether it benefits me or not, I have to be man enough to take it.

"I work hard every day to win and I understand it doesn't always go my way and you have to move forward."

Hart is not certain to play against Sunderland at Wembley on Sunday, with Pantilimon between the posts for all but one of their League Cup games this season.

"It is for the manager to decide. Costel has played most of the games and done well and played brilliant and not conceded a goal," he added.

"It is a squad game, which I am learning more and more as I get older and the more and more I am involved in such a great side and squad.

"The manager is making a lot of good decisions at the moment and whether it is myself or Costel, we will play our hearts out for the team to get the result."

Watch the full interview with Joe Hart on Football Focus on BBC One at 12:00 GMT on Saturday