brilliant summary by Martin Samuel of the Joe Hart situation and the reluctance by many , even on here.
" The hero of the night was Hart. In some quarters, there is reluctance to place him in the same company as the best in the world: Manuel Neuer, Gianluigi Buffon, David de Gea. It is hard to see why.
Certainly, had his first-half performance here been turned in by any of the trio mentioned, rave reviews would follow. English football hasn’t had much to crow about of late — not in this competition — but the emergence of Hart as a world-class goalkeeper is one positive.
We mourn the passing of the golden age of English goalkeepers — from Gordon Banks, through Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence to David Seaman — while refusing to concede that Hart is ready to be mentioned as their rightful heir.
It is hard to impress a German crowd, too — definitely one that regularly sees world No 1 Neuer in action — but Hart earned his applause.
Take his performance away and City could have been out of this match before half-time, even without the penalty controversies. "