Man City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has backed Joe Hart to take a first team spot in the England international team this year. The keeper has been in superb form of late.

"Joe has been outstanding," Sven said on the Man City official website. "I think we are spoiled with the keepers we have at this club, and we are coming to expect that he is playing as well as he is.

"I always said that I believed that he would play for England, sooner or later, but I think that could be very soon.

"He is in fantastic form at the moment, and he is spoiling us because we think the way he is playing now is normal. Some of his saves against Liverpool were incredible.

"He's matured as a player and as a person this year and in the future I think he will be a real leader.

"He already is one, in some ways, but it's not easy to be one in your first full season playing in the Premier League, and he's just 21 years old still.

"It's been an excellent year for him, he's a great talent and is already a very good player - and, of course, he will only get better and better."