Manchester City boss Sven Goran Eriksson is confident Micah Richards will continue his exciting progress, despite last week's setback with England.

"Of course, life is easy and beautiful when everybody tells you how good you are, but to live up to that standard is maybe even more difficult than to arrive there," said the City boss.

"So it's up to Micah to show he can handle that. I think he can. He is a good, clever boy or man, as he now is.

"I think you have to learn from setbacks and if you want to be in football for a long time you have to know that sooner or later you will have a slump.

"And of course, you have to rise up and make that situation right again. Micah certainly wasn't singing yesterday when he returned to us from England duty.

"He was a little tired after all the travelling he's done over the past week or so. He's a young man who was looking forward to a big tournament, so it's understandable he's disappointed.

"I spoke to Micah yesterday and I've seen him today. I didn't need to ask how he felt. We will have to lift him before the game with Reading."