Media round-up: Friday, 25th November - featuring Tevez, Zabaleta, and Micah Richards

Carlos Tevez's representatives held preliminary talks with Milan in Italy yesterday which could bring a £25m deal for the Manchester City striker in the January transfer window, according to The Independent. The Rossoneri's interest in discussing such a move has intensified now that Antonio Cassano is out for the season after undergoing a heart operation.

Meanwhile, The Mirror claim that Milan - as well as Serie A rivals Roma - are also looking at City's full-back Pablo Zabaleta, even though the Argentinian has just signed a new four-year contract with City. Zabaleta distanced himself from a move after playing in City's Champions League defeat to Napoli, saying: "At the moment I think only of Manchester City, having renewed my contract."

England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce is convinced Micah Richards will soon return to Fabio Capello’s squad if he carries on in his current rich vein of form. "I speak with Micah regularly and my advice to him is you just have to keep at it. Your performances at club level will keep putting pressure on the England manager if you are consistent enough. There is no doubt he has improved this season. In the past I have been critical of him to his face, both with City and England U 21s. I think there is a lot more in his locker and a lot more development to come. He is playing for a club who are owned by multi-millionaires, the richest club in the world, and is keeping his place in the first team. That tells you something.”

Kenny Dalglish insists Liverpool FC have no reason to fear the visit of high-flying Manchester City to Anfield on Sunday because they have the quality to cause the Premier League leaders problems.“We’ll decide what is best for us and let them worry about us more than we worry about them,” Dalglish said. “But at the same time we respect and appreciate how good City are."