Manchester City's Micah Richards has praised the talents of fellow defender Joleon Lescott after the 29-year-old helped the club to their first Premier League clean sheet of the season.

Captain Vincent Kompany was ruled out through injury, so Lescott was drafted in at centre-back.

"He is a quality defender," Richards told the club's official website. "A lot of people don't understand how good he is - well, people do because he is playing for England - but he really is a top-class centre-back, one of the best in the league.

"I think last season and at the start of this season he has shown that."

City's 3-0 win over Sunderland put them second in the table, four points behind early leaders Chelsea.