Manchester City will never stop believing they can retain the Barclays Premier League even it is mathematically impossible for them to do so, according to goalkeeper Joe Hart.
City ended a run of three league games without a win with a convincing 2-0 victory against Chelsea on Sunday, but they remain 12 points behind rivals Manchester United.
With only 11 games remaining, time is running out for City but after overturning an eight-point deficit last season Hart has vowed not to give up fighting.
"Even if there is one game to go and we are 12 points behind, we'll still believe. We've got to," Hart declared.
"We've got to keep fighting, you never know. We have just got to keep going.
"It's going to be really hard, we've got a lot to do but we're going to have a damn good go at doing it."
Hart came in for criticism for a costly mistake as City lost to Southampton earlier this month, but he was not the only player to be singled out by manager Roberto Mancini.
The goalkeeper accepts the team performed well below their best but he feels they have moved on from the defeat and as ready to fight for the title.
"We all under-performed against Southampton - that's gone, you can't do anything now, you move on from that. You have got to look forward," the England number one added.
"You can speculate and talk about the past but we have just got to look forward and try to win. The only way is up for us."