Hughes believes dressing room bust-ups have helped revitalise Manchester City

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has told his warring players to keep laying into each other, as he believes there is no better way to fire everyone up.

Earlier, goalkeeper Shay Given had revealed how tempers boiled over in the City dressing room after they blew a two-goal lead in their recent draw with Hull at Eastlands.

Hughes’s assistant Mark Bowen said that the staff see arguments among the players as a sign that they care passionately about the team.

“It's very, very healthy. We were delighted to see the reaction after the Hull game. Things were also said by the management and staff as well. We were all part of it and we were all very demanding of each other,” The Mirror quoted Hughes, as saying.

“Shay alluded to it well - it is healthy and good. Obviously there is the tiny element that you can't let it turn into a problem situation, where it gets physical, but on this occasion it was like a breath of fresh air in the place,” he added.

Bowen further said that Hughes is trying to create an atmosphere at City where no-one will accept less than 100 per cent from each other, as he was shocked by the lack of spirit when he took over.

“We said last year when we first came into the club that there almost seemed to be an apathy about the place, and in the standards among the group,” Bowen said.

“If we lost a game, it was almost as if players tended to accept it of each other. That was a horrible feeling, to come into dressing rooms after games and sense that,” he added.