Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has assured Stephen Ireland he is "an important player" for the club despite a lack of action this season.
Ireland has found himself reduced to a bit-part player under Mancini, making only 15 league starts this season, and he is again likely to be on the bench when City face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
Mancini has tended to go with defensive midfielders, leaving the 23-year-old clicking his heels, but the Italian still sees a role in the team for Ireland.
He said: "I have a lot of respect for Stephen Ireland because he is a good player.
"In the week of the Chelsea game he had an injury. But now he has recovered and is ready to play. "I have a number of options in midfield and Stephen is an important player for us."
With Wayne Bridge sidelined for a month after a hernia operation, Javier Garrido is favourite to step in at left back against Fulham.
"Hopefully I will get my chance to be involved in the team," the Spaniard told City's official website. "I did not play for a while when Mark Hughes was here but when Roberto took charge he gave me an opportunity almost straight away.
"That gave me a lot of confidence and I think that showed through in my performances. "
City are chasing a top-four spot and face a Fulham side on the crest of a wave after an astonishing Europa League victory against Juventus.
Garrido, though, knows his side cannot afford not to win.
He said: "They try and play good football and so do we, but they have definitely had the edge over the past three or four seasons.
"But there is no reason we can't win this game - we need a victory to keep the pressure on the teams around us.
"I think every team who plays us now wants to beat us because of what has happened to the club in the past couple of years.
"I think sometimes we have had a stronger mentality against the best teams and the results against Arsenal and Chelsea have proved that to be true.
"But we have to have that same focus against every team we play if we are to finish in the top four."
