United legend labels 'cocky' City star

Former Manchester United captain, Roy Keane, has branded Manchester City and England goalkeeper Joe Hart as 'cocky', and says his performances - for club and for country - are at risk of suffering as a result.

The ITV pundit was speaking in the studio prior to the Three Lions' postponed World Cup qualifying clash against Poland in Warsaw last night, claiming that the 25-year-old's overconfidence can lead to lapses in concentration.

"There's a fine line between confident and cocky, and I think he's been a little bit too cocky this year," said Keane. "He just relaxes a little bit and takes his eye off the ball...and he needs a bit more competition around him."

Hart has established himself as first-choice stopper for both Roy Hodgson and Roberto Mancini, but the fact that he has little competition for both the No.1 spots, should not tempt him into complacency.

City have Romanian international Costel Pantilimon as the current Etihad Stadium understudy, and whilst he has impressed when featuring in the Citizens' first-team, the general feeling is he has little chance of displacing Hart between the sticks.

Keane compared Hart's situation to that of former Red Devils team-mate Peter Schmeichel, who enjoyed years of unrivalled ownership of the goalkeeper's jersey at Old Trafford.

However, even the Great Dane - as he was affectionately known by Manchester United fans - could, according to Keane, have shown a bit more focus at times.

"When Peter became cocky he made mistakes," he explained. "There were times when he got a bit carried away and thought he was the bees knees."