Paul Merson has claimed that Joe Hart’s chances of being first choice goalkeeper for England at the 2018 World Cup may be over after the 30-year-old was demoted as first choice goalkeeper of West Ham in favour of Adrian.
Adrian started the Hammers game against Manchester City as Hart was not eligible and as he impressed he was retained this weekend as the club went on to claim a shock 1-0 win over Chelsea.
Merson has suggested that Hart could find it extremely difficult to break into the Hammer side and this could all but end his hopes of representing England at the 2018 World Cup.
“With goalkeepers, it’s very different to strikers. With strikers, if your replacement doesn’t score in three games you are probably back in, but with a goalkeeper, you need them to make a major mistake to get back into the team. That could be his World Cup over. This is it,” Merson told Sky Sports News.
“If Adrian has an absolute blinder for the next three months, then Hart’s World Cup is out of the window. If he is playing in the team, he goes to the World Cup, if not then I don’t see how he will play. He went to West Ham on the strength of the World Cup, not to win the league, but to play first-team football so he will be number one at the World Cup.”
