Manchester City boss Mark Hughes insists he hasn't lost faith in skipper Richard Dunne.

The Irishman's indifferent form has seen him linked with Portsmouth and Tottenham this season, but Hughes says: "Dunney has been an outstanding player for Man City for many, many seasons. Maybe the break will have done him good and he's had four games out. That will help him and he will come back refreshed.

"It's a long hard season in the Premiership so the enforced break can sometimes help. With regard to his form, sometimes you have a run of games where things don't go quite right for you but Richard has been involved in these situations before. He is a big lad and he has been in the game long enough to deal with it, such is his strength of character. It won't faze him.

"He is always prepared to go out there and get going again."