Manchester City defender Micah Richards has received praise from manager Mark Hughes for a recent run of consistent performances.

The 21-year old somewhat lost his way after bursting onto the scene in 2006 when he became the youngest defender to play for England but Hughes is delighted that he put his head down, worked hard and is now reaping the rewards after scoring a goal in the 3-3 draw with Bolton on the weekend.

"It got to a point where Micah needed to knuckle down," said Hughes. "That is what he has done. He has done really well in recent weeks and is in the team on merit.

"There is more to come and Micah accepts that. At the moment we are looking for him to maintain his current level and perhaps surpass it.

"Micah's form has tended to burn brightly for a couple of games then starts to diminish again," added the Welshman. "But recently he has been more solid and his concentration levels have been good. We are reaping the benefits of that.

"There is a challenge here and everyone has to step up to the mark, embrace it and enjoy it. Micah is doing that."