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- Joe Hart was replaced by Willy Caballero for the Sunderland match
- Manchester City continue to chase Marc-Andre ter Stegen
- Pep Guardiola did not give Hart assurances about his long-term future
- Manchester City opened the season with a 2-1 win over Sunderland
Pep Guardiola refused to give England goalkeeper Joe Hart any assurances about his long-term future at Manchester City after surprisingly axing him for Saturday's 2-1 victory against Sunderland.
The Spaniard underlined his ruthless reputation by demoting City's longest-serving player in favour of Argentine Willy Caballero while the club still continue to chase Barcelona 'keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
'I am a guy who takes decisions. I am not afraid about that. I feel it and do it,' said an unrepentant Guardiola.
Joe Hart was dropped for Willy Caballero in Manchester City's first Premier League match
Hart faces a major crossroads in his career after being left out of the starting XI
Pep Guardiola (centre) prefers goalkeepers who can play out from the back
Guardiola also dropped Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure from City's match-day squad
'I think Willy had a really good pre-season. He gave me a lot of confidence for this game, his building-up play, his personality. That is why I chose him.
'This line-up was for this game. Of course Joe can play in the next game (v Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday) but I don't know if he will.'
Missing out on the first game of the Guardiola era will be huge concern for 29-year-old Hart who was blamed in some quarters for England's exit against Iceland at Euro 2016.
Always seen as a commanding presence on and off the pitch, Guardiola is among the managers who feel he has to improve his footwork in the modern game where sweeper-keepers Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer are held in high regard.
With a new England manager Sam Allardyce to impress, Hart will not want to be on the sidelines at club level for long but forcing a move two weeks before the end of the transfer window is also likely to be difficult with those leading clubs able to afford his £160,000-a-week wages already well served in the goalkeeping department.
Guardiola tried to offer Hart the carrot that more practise at the training ground will boost his chances of playing in City's new style in which the keeper is an extra defender.
'Willy has been in a lot of training sessions two-against-one, three-against-two, but I am not saying Joe can't do that also. I have a lot of respect for Joe and his career. I know he is a good goalkeeper.'
City's new boss Guardiola has vowed to work hard on improving Hart's kicking
Guardiola is interested in prising Marc-Andre ter Stegen (pictured) away from Barcelona
Caballero in action for City during their first Premier League match against Sunderland
After a shaky start behind £47million debutant John Stones and makeshift centre-back Aleksandr Kolarov, Caballero made an excellent reflex save to deny Jermain Defoe with City leading 1-0.
But he was powerless to prevent Defoe equalising in the second half before a late own goal by Paddy McNair earned City the points.
Guardiola was breathless after his first experience of competitive English football.
'I realise how difficult it is,' he smiled. 'We are not safe until the referee says “OK, go home,”
Long balls, free-kicks, second balls. I can imagine what the last five minutes in an away game will be like.
'But for the first game, I saw many good things from us I didn't expect to. I just want to see us create more chances.'
Yaya Toure, Eliaquim Mangala and Samir Nasri were left out of City's 18-man squad but Guardiola said all had been training well.
Hart knew 24 hours before the Sunderland match that he would not be starting
Hart was criticised for his performances with England at the Euros in France this summer
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