Richards, 19, has missed two matches over the past week due to a knee niggle but is ready to face the Gunners, the club he supported as a youngster.
Having been linked with a move away from City, he insists his future is with the blue half of Manchester and signing a fresh deal is on the horizon.
He said: "I have got two-and-a-half years on my contract and I am not going anywhere.
"There is no time scale in my mind, just when it's ready to be signed it will be signed.
"I am 100% going to sign for the club. There's nothing to worry about. Things don't happen overnight."
February is a big month for Sven-Goran Eriksson's side in their quest to secure a European spot - they will apply for the Intertoto Cup if unsuccessful - with a clash against bitter rivals Manchester United following the visit of second-placed Arsenal.
Richards' comeback is timely then, although he would miss the United clash should he pick up another caution.
Nevertheless, he said: "I would be devastated to miss the derby but I have got a job to do tomorrow and if I have to take a yellow card so be it."
City remain unbeaten in 12 Premier League home fixtures this season but preserving that record will take an improvement on the FA Cup exit to Sheffield United and the disappointing draw at Derby.
Eriksson said: "It is a big one, a difficult one. We are meeting one of the best teams in Europe, for sure.
Difficult
"They're playing wonderful football so if we don't defend well we will have a very difficult day. "I don't think it will end 0-0, there will be goals, hopefully from us."
Converting chances has been a long-standing problem for the Blues and one Eriksson hoped to solve with his first soiree into the January transfer window as a manager.
But with the Benjani Mwaruwari deal from Portsmouth in the hands of the Premier League and £5.2million signing Felipe Caicedo not arriving until next week the Swede will have to work with the current crop of forwards for now.
He continued: "I think we should score more goals. It is not such a concern that I'm not sleeping at nights - absolutely not.
"But we have been working on and off the pitch to try to solve it."
Teenager Daniel Sturridge has proved a successful outlet with two goals in as many games, producing the kind of display expected by those that have known him from academy football.
"We've been playing together for four or five years and he's always been touted as the best," said Richards. "For me he is the best striker I have ever seen that age. He's not the type to get big-headed. "There are a lot of boys the best for their age at 18 or 19 but by the time they're 23 or 24 they fall away. I don't think he's the type to do that. He's sheer class."
Ecuador's Caicedo, like Sturridge, has a renowned left foot and the signing from Swiss side FC Basle also offers similarities to Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.
"He is a big, strong guy with pace," said Eriksson. "He has a very good left foot.
"At 19, he's good for now, very good, and good for the future. He will get even better.
"He played for Basle in the UEFA Cup and he plays international football so he shouldn't have any problem with the Premier League.
"With his pace and strength it should not be difficult for him.
"There is a little bit of Drogba, maybe. I am not sure if he will score as many goals as Drogba. That we will have to wait and see. But he is a good player and I am very happy to have him."
City's other capture of the transfer opening, 17-year-old Filippo Mancini, was at the behest of the forward's father, Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini.
Eriksson admitted: "I haven't seen him play but Roberto wanted him to come here into our academy.
"How good he is, I don't know but he has played for Inter, so I think he will be good.
"If he is only half as good as his father it will be enough." Tweet
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MICAH'S FORM HAS DIPPED DRAMATICALLY. IF HES INTENTIONS ARE TO PLAY FOR THE SO CALLED "TOP 4" THEN HE SHOULD HAVE GONE YESTERDAY. IF HE DOES NOT WANT TO SIGN, THEN HE CAN GO. NO PLAYER IS BIGGER THAN THE CLUB.
Was there any doubt he wouldn't ?
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I'll get me coat!
This is good news!
City v bitter rivals.. MEN team must be laffin their socks off at that. Well done lads. We love you. Yawn..
If its true Micah,welcome back!
...... and if Sven did nothing else but encourage Micah to commit to a long term deal then that is THE SIGNING of this window regardless of when the ink goes on the paper !!
Didn't he say the same on the bbc website 2 months ago!
We have simply got to pay whatever it takes as we cannot afford to lose quality like that if we want to be taken seriously. If he signs though it should be a five year contract so we are not discussing this again in 18 months.
I dont understand us with contracts at times. Sturridge got a 3 year one, got injured and now only has 2 and a half years left on his - How long before we see the headline "Sturridge stalls on new contract"
Yet Ireland gets a five year one for seemingly doing nothing! Since he signed that his form has got worse!
Yawwwwwwwwwn. Haven't i heard this before? Surely there's something more interesting going on like maybe the on/off Benjani deal? Or is it POETS day? CTID
You know it makes sence ,get it signed ,welcome back Micah,and dont let the form dip again,
I think 'Still Feedin' The Goat' is a wind up merchant and I fell for it big time on a previous post. I feel so dirty and used.
Dont be a bum, ignore the Scum.
Stop thinking you're the main man micah. Get your head down, get stuck in and recapture the form that you've lost since playing for england. Sign on the dotted line now and stop holding the club to ransom. If not sell to the highest bidder. Swp said he was happy, then next he went to chelsea.Look what happened to him! So micah, Dont listen to your greedy agents tryna make a fast buck out of you. If you love city, show some loyalty and sign now.
Completely agree with Scooby Blue, Micah is a huge part of what this club is trying to achieve.
When you look at the quality youngsters we have coming through it makes you proud to be blue.
Richards, Onouha, Johnno, Cacieo (the new lad), Charlie, Castillo, Sturridge to name but a few.
What a refreshing change to see a manager investing in youth and quality, as opposed to his predecessors who opted for old journeymen who came to the club with no hunger.
Sven, you are the king of Manchester.
Sounds great. Does anyone else see the buds of a new beginning, a young team playing the passing game, strong at the back, quick and deadly up front. Europe nxt season will ensure quality players will join "build the team and they will come" Remember trust in Sven and the glass will always be half full.
Contracts aren't worth the paper they are written on ----FACT----
Actions speak louder than words . . . . . get the contract signed Micah!
Just picked this up on the Fifa website:
in addition to signing Benjani, Sven-Goran Eriksson chose to bolster City's midfield by capturing attack-minded Serb Marko Perovic from Red Star Belgrade, and they also managed to entice 17-year-old Italian Filippo Mancini away from Inter Milan. I heard nothing about us chasing Perovic - anyone else heard that one?
Come on lad just sign you know it makes sense, the future is bright, the future is BLUE.
Have just read on Newsnow that young Mancini has joined on loan for 6 months, does anybody know what the plan is, just gaining experience or is he heading for the 1st team!!!!
To be honest I'm no longer interested in Micah's talk talk talk - Sign the contract or sell him in the summer.
Did I mention Castillo dislocating his shoulder ...?
Ted. They might not be worth the paper... but they do ensure a fat fee if/when he goes.. Hopefully he will genuinely stay to be part of the rosey future. Give SGE three years and we will be well into the 'big' league...
I'm not worried.. no-one should be!
He's a Blue.. He keeps saying he's going to sign and is happy.. He's a Blue.. He's World Class.. Ok had a few games under-par at the end of last year but wasn't a liability in that time, like some other defenders in the PL that I could mention.. He's a Blue.. If he does go we'll get a fortune.. He's a Blue!
Why worry or moan or slag him off..? It'll get you nowhere but an early grave!
Looking forward to the game tomorrow. Can't quite believe that after recent results or performances, but at least we know Football will be played and it'll be a great show... Hopefully with a positive result!
Never really liked The Ars' but now the real Le Sulk has gone I really admire how they play, and are building their team... A model we seem to be following which is brilliant! And is the TRUE way forward!
CTID
Two things. I think it's great that Mancini wants his son at our Academy and I'm glad we didn't get Defoe in (as some have suggested we should on other posts). Defoe's lifestyle is increasingly in the press and we need professionalism and stability for young players like Micah.
I know this has nothing to do with this story, but Iraq are ranked 67 in the latest rankings on the fifa website.
Just sign it !! nuff said
Ted are you Percy Sugden reincarnated?