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Guardiola: Hart will have to fight for No. 1 spot

Juan Medina / Reuters

Manchester City's new manager Pep Guardiola got his first taste of Premier League football on Saturday and has already made a few key changes to the team, starting at the back with a switch in net from the usual starter Joe Hart.

Guardiola awarded Willy Caballero the starting role for Manchester City's 2016-17 season debut win against Sunderland, and the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss says the two shot-stoppers will compete for the No. 1 spot between the sticks for the club this season.

"Of course - they are professionals and are going to fight for their place," Guardiola told BT Sport, according to ESPN FC.

"Joe is a player I’m so happy with his qualities, his behaviour, and what he means to this club," he said, according to The Guardian. "After we are going to decide inside the doors. Now, he is a player of us. Today is not about Joe."

For his part, Caballero says he wasn't expecting to start against the Black Cats, either.

"It was a surprise for me," Caballero said, as quoted by ESPN FC. "I trained very well in preseason to have this opportunity.

"I tried to enjoy it today and fortunately we started very well with three points so it is better to improve and make a correction when we win."

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