Mark Hughes believes Shaun Wright-Phillips has got his smile back since he returned to Manchester City.
Wright-Phillips played a starring role on Wednesday night, being brought down for City's opener before wrapping up a 2-0 win over a tired-looking Aston Villa side with a well-taken effort two minutes from time.
And Hughes is delighted with the form of the former Chelsea man, saying; "There is joy in his game. He has always played with a smile on his face but your enthusiasm can soon be blunted if you are not playing every week," said the City boss.
He added: "Shaun has come back from Chelsea as a better player but he has come back to what he regards as his club and I felt he did really well."
Hughes confirmed City's new signing Nigel de Jong had been substituted with a knee injury, although he does not feel the damage, in an area where the Dutchman has suffered problems before, is too extensive.
And, after undergoing scans on Tuesday, he revealed Craig Bellamy will be out for no longer than three weeks with the injury he suffered at West Ham on Sunday.
All this is of little consequence for Villa boss Martin O'Neill, whose side are suddenly starting to struggle after doing so well this term.
Villa have now gone six games without a win in all competitions and seen their lead over Arsenal in the battle for fourth spot shrink to four points.
However, O'Neill insists his side is not getting nervous and ? after a brief break in Dubai ? has vowed they will be fully firing over the final 10 games.
"Maybe we are being a bit naive thinking we can challenge those top four sides, who have been up there so consistently over the last few years, but whatever happens, we should relish the challenge," said O'Neill.
"We are not nervous ? we are excited. Really, if you are not excited by the position we are in, you shouldn't be playing."
*PA Sport
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'Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower'
Michael Beckley, Cornell Press
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Company profile
Company: Verity
Date started: May 2021
Founders: Kamal Al-Samarrai, Dina Shoman and Omar Al Sharif
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Size: four team members
Stage: Intially bootstrapped but recently closed its first pre-seed round of $800,000
Investors: Wamda, VentureSouq, Beyond Capital and regional angel investors
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
Red Joan
Director: Trevor Nunn
Starring: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, Tereza Srbova
Rating: 3/5 stars
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
MATCH INFO
Who: France v Italy
When: Friday, 11pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km