Man City have little to take Hart from as their Premier League hopes slip away

15Feb 2013

England - Premier League

Manchester City have come unstuck in their bid to defend their Premier League title, with a series of below par performances both individually and collectively. Hannah Duncan looks at where the Citizens' title challenge has come apart and whether it means their challenge for silverware is completely over.

After claiming their first ever Premier League title last season, Manchester City have found all their hard work unravelling this year, with a string of worryingly sub-standard performances and individual calamities.

Roberto Mancini's side slipped to 12 points behind league leaders Manchester United with defeat against Southampton on Saturday evening, having not won any of their last three league games. The Citizens are now a massive 22 to to successfully defend their Premier League title.

But while defeat at St. Mary's is no shame in itself - especially with the form the Saints are in at present - the game had a host of worrying signs for Mancini and the City faithful, not least goalkeeper Joe Hart, who was partly accountable for Southampton's first goal at the weekend and totally responsible for the second. What Gareth Barry was doing for the third, however, is anyone's guess.

The England number one flits between hero and villain far too regularly to be considered the world's best goalkeeper - a title often handed to him by fans and the media, but is more frequently becoming a bit of an embarrassing statement.

While any 'keeper can have a shocker - and we all know about it when they do - Hart's mistakes are rapidly becoming of a Sunday league standard and the statistics highlight his wayward form.

At this stage last season, Manchester City had allowed 92 shots to test Hart's abilities, of which the 25-year-old kept out 79.12%. This season, City's back-line have been less porous, only allowing 69 efforts on goal. But of those, Hart has saved just 64% - a worrying sign for Mancini.

Contrast Hart's form with that of Ben Foster, for example, who was a shining light in West Brom's smash and grab victory over Liverpool last night, proving a 'keeper on his game is worth his weight in gold.

But Hart isn't the only culprit in a Manchester City side who have seen the Premier League trophy all but slip from their grasp in recent weeks.

The Citizens have been far from the free-scoring side which won the title on goal difference last term, netting fewer home league goals than Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal and fewer goals on the road than United, Chelsea, Spurs and even ninth-placed Liverpool.

While on the sidelines, Mancini has been prone to the odd baffling decision and has made no secret of his distrust of Joleon Lescott's quality, yet expects the defender to remain confident and perform flawlessly when selected.

Regardless of their poor form of late and of the concerning stats, Mancini's side remain heavy favourites at 1.39 to finish ahead of Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and co. in the top two, or you can lay the bet at 1.4. You can also lay a bet on City finishing in the top three at 1.15.

City's fading title hopes aren't to say there won't be a trophy on display at the Etihad come May, as they are at 3.9 to win the FA Cup for the second time in three years and are strong 1.21 favourites to progress past Leeds into the quarter finals.