Joe Hart is looking for a fast start to the Blues Europa League bid.

After the Premier League campaign temporarily stalled with a defeat at Sunderland and a draw at home to Blackburn, the City keeper believes it is essential to get off the grid quickly in the race to Dublin next spring.

But he is well aware that Salzburg will provide stern opposition in their stadium.

“It will not be easy, the place will be buzzing and Salzburg proved last year winning their title and their group in this competition that they are a decent side,” he declared.

“We are determined to bounce back from the disappointment of dropping points at home, though I don’t think we played badly at all.

We have been solid defensively all season domestically and in the Europa League play-off and that is important when you go away from home in any competition

...Joe Hart

“We are in a very competitive group for qualification and in such circumstances getting off to the fastest of starts is important. We can’t take anything for granted.”

Although they were held to a 0-0 draw at home in the Austrian League last weekend Salzburg were formidable in European competition twelve months ago. They won all six of their group games defeating Lazio, Villarreal and Levski Sofia but then went out in the knockout phase to Standard Liege.

They have already played three times in the Champions League this term surviving the first two qualifying rounds against HB Torshavn and a team well known to City, AC Omonia, before bowing out 3-4 on aggregate to Hapoel Tel Aviv.