By SHAUN CUSTIS
MICAH RICHARDS has been stunned by boss Roberto Mancini’s claim he will be back from a knee operation within three to four weeks.
The defender tore his meniscus during Manchester City’s 1-0 win over Swansea last Saturday.
And Richards has been told by a specialist he will be out for up to four months. Yet Mancini said yesterday: “I think maybe — it is my opinion — three or four weeks. I read three months but I don’t know why. One month — maximum.
“It is not bad. Maybe in three or four weeks he can start to play. He put only two stitches in his knee. For this reason, maybe four weeks.”
But a source close to Richards told SunSport: “There is absolutely no chance Micah will be back in such a short time.
“If he returned too quickly it would set him back another six weeks. He cannot afford to rush it.”
Richards, 24, told City’s own website on Tuesday: “I am probably looking at 12-16 weeks before I am back in action.”
