City still have a four-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League but have endured a damaging month with elimination from two cup competitions and the absences of key players being keenly felt.

Captain Vincent Kompany has missed the last four games following his controversial sending off in the FA Cup third-round loss to Manchester United - also a key factor in that result - while striker Mario Balotelli has just begun his own four-match ban.

City are also unable to call on Yaya and Kolo Toure due to the African Nations Cup while the ongoing Carlos Tevez saga continues to attract headlines.

Their latest disappointment came last night as they were edged out by Liverpool in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup but Richards looked for positives.

The 23-year-old said: "Obviously Mario is suspended but we have got a boost now with Vinny coming back.

"We have other stuff going on as well but we will keep strong and we will look forward to our next game, which is Everton.

"We will go there and try to get a win."

City's hopes of reaching the Carling Cup final were ended at Anfield as they were held 2-2 by Liverpool to go out 3-2 on aggregate.

Richards was at the centre of controversy after being adjudged by referee Phil Dowd to have handled to concede the penalty which led to the first of Liverpool's two equalisers.

Richards, playing in an unfamiliar role as one of three centre-backs, stretched to block a Daniel Agger shot but the ball rebounded off his leg and hit his arm.

He told City TV: "I think the referee made a poor decision for the penalty. It struck my foot and has gone on to my hand.

"I don't know what he expects me to do with that.

"But it was a decision. I won't say it has cost us but it has clearly played a massive part."

Richards remonstrated with Dowd at the time, as did a number of his team-mates, to no avail.

He said: "Everyone goes on about respecting referees but it is decisions like that that are sometimes costing us.

"I give my full support to the referees but with those sort of decisions, unless you are 100% sure, you shouldn't really be giving them."

It is merely the latest of a number of refereeing controversies to have involved City in recent weeks.

The club have been angered by the incidents which led to bans for Kompany and Balotelli while manager Roberto Mancini has been criticised for waving imaginary cards at officials.

Despite that, Richards did not want to make excuses for the result at Anfield.

City twice led on the night, with Nigel de Jong opening the scoring with a stunning strike. Steven Gerrard replied from the spot but Edin Dzeko put City back ahead before a second equaliser, this time from former City striker Craig Bellamy, proved decisive.

Richards said: "We tried 100% but we didn't play as good as we thought we could play. We just didn't get a grip of the game.

"We scored two decent goals but they were always going to be a threat at home.

"Coming to Liverpool and beating them was always going to be a hard task. I think we lost it in the first game, when we lost 1-0.

"We can't be too bitter, Liverpool worked hard and probably in the end deserved to win."

City now have a free weekend due to their FA Cup elimination before returning to league action at Goodison Park on Tuesday.

Kompany should return and, after filling in as skipper, Richards will be happy to relinquish the armband back to the Belgian.

He said: "It is an honour being captain for Man City and I am gutted I couldn't lead us to a final, but I am happy Vinny is coming back and normal service will be resumed."