Corluka: Richards is the best

Man City's Croatian defender Vedran Corluka has made the bold statement that Micah Richards is the best defender in the Premiership. Corluka himself has had an impressive few months at Man City, but Richards has been fantastic throughout the start of this season.

Corluka exclaimed: "I didn't know Micah before I came here but now I have watched him in training and in games and I think he is already a great player and the best central defender in England."

Corluka is part of the Croatian side battling for qualification for Euro 2008 with England, and said of the imminent qualifiers: "I have been telling him that all the pressure will be on England in that game in November because we will already be qualified," Corluka said. "But Micah is confident that he and his team will be too."