Fourth placed City are hot favourites to record a first ever top flight win at the home of the Latics but defender Richards points to what happened to Chelsea at the DW Stadium as a good reason to keep the guard up.
After a couple of games on the sidelines, Richards could be in line for a recall if either Kolo Toure or Pablo Zabaleta fails a late fitness test.
He knows enough about Wigan’s qualities to know that it will be a tough encounter and one in which the travelling Blue army will play a full part.
“We have sold out our allocation for the game and I am sure there will be City fans all over the stadium,” reckoned the 21-year-old. “There is a phenomenal buzz about us at the moment and the fans will be expecting us to kick on and make sure we stay up with the leaders. But we will have to be on our toes from the first whistle.
“The fact that this season for the first time we have a target man in the team, two if Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz are on the pitch at the same time, means that we are a different proposition than we have been previously.
“We are able to switch our style and direction of play around and we are so much less predictable. I think that is one of the reasons why our away form has been so much better this season both in terms of results and performances.
We feel we should be able to take the three points but only if we are at our best. If we are not then look what happened to Chelsea
...Micah Richards
“Wigan will be fired up for the game, they always are against us. Nothing seems to faze them. They are nearly always underdogs but just gone out and done their own thing and under the new manager they are playing some decent football.
“They have one big scalp this season and they will be looking for another. But we are in great shape in terms of confidence, if not injuries, and we are looking to maintain our momentum.”
Richards will be keeping a particular eye on one clash between two really good friends.
“Titus Bramble is one of Shaun Wright-Phillips’ best mates – they are always knocking around together - and every time they come up against one another Titus always seems to give him a hard time,” laughed Micah.
“I think Shaun will have the better of him this time....I will be telling him that anyway!”
