Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has insisted that he respected the decision of manager Manuel Pellegrini to drop him earlier in the season in favour of Costel Pantilimon.

Hart was rested from the side for a spell of games following a handful of errors, but has said that since being restored to the team he simply had to "man up" about the situation.

"You have to be able to accept when you are playing or not," Hart told BBC Sport. "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."

City take on Sunderland in the League Cup final on Sunday.