Richards gives City good news

Mark Hughes, the Manchester City manager, has been cheered by news that Micah Richards' ankle injury is not as bad as first feared. The defender strained ligaments in the 2-2 draw at Newcastle on Monday night and not a break to his ankle as first feared.

However, Richards still faces a spell on the sidelines, starting with the Premier League match against Stoke on Sunday. Nedum Onuoha, the 21-year-old defender who has had his own injury problems, came on for Richards and the 6ft 2in Nigerian could retain his place.

Hughes said: "We just had to throw him in there and, given the circumstances, I thought he did OK. So we have got cover there but ideally we would prefer to have Micah fit and well for the weekend.

"We'll be up against opposition that are going to throw balls into our box and challenge for everything. We need to be able to stand up to that and I demand a reaction."

Hughes also backed Richard Dunne to bounce back from the disappointment of his bizarre own goal at St James' Park. The manager said: "He's a big character, he's the captain. It's one of those things that happens in a football match. You can't legislate for it, you just have to get on with it. It made it difficult for us, a game we should have won comfortably."

Meanwhile, City striker Nery Castillo will not join Guadalajara his agent has confirmed. The 24-year-old Mexico international is midway through a year-long loan at Eastlands from Shakhtar Donetsk but has not played for City this season and does not figure in Hughes' plans.

Guadalajara had hoped to sign him for their Copa Sudamericana campaign but, according to his agent Juan Carlos Padilla, were unable to finalise a deal in time. "There was no time to register him with the Conmebol. We couldn't do it in such a hurry," Padilla said. "There was good will from Guadalajara, Shakhtar and Manchester City but we couldn't do it."

Conmebol regulations require teams to present their rosters 48 hours before the start of a stage.

Guadalajara play their quarter-final game against River Plate tonight and needed to complete the transfer on Monday.

"Nery spoke to Nestor [de la Torre, Guadalajara president] and confirmed he would like to move back home soon. But we have to analyse every offer," added Padilla.