Aaron Hughes has warned Manchester City that Fulham's never-say-die attitude will make his team hard to beat when the two sides face off on Sunday.

The Cottagers travel to Eastlands to take on Mark Hughes' side on the back of a well-earned 1-1 draw with Italian giants Roma on Thursday.

After a slow start to the season, Roy Hodgson's men now find themselves in 12th place in the Barclays Premier League table after beating Hull and picking up a draw at West Ham.

Fulham had men sent off in both the Roma and West Ham matches and Hughes believes the strong bond within the camp has helped overcome such setbacks.

"It's very much a theme that the team has resilience, we are a good solid unit regardless of how we play and who we play," the Northern Ireland defender said.

"It's part of the atmosphere, part of being Fulham if you like, that not only do we play good football but we stick together."

City currently sit fifth in the Premier League standings after a summer spending spree of nearly £120million.

Fulham could be without captain Danny Murphy and striker Andrew Johnson for the match, but Hughes insists they will be no pushovers.

"It is going to be a big game at the weekend," he added.

"They have a lot of very talented individuals and they are playing well.

"At the start of the season the big question was 'could they play well together?' and they seem to be doing that. They are putting in a lot of good performances and it will be a very tough game for us.

"But it's one that we will be relishing and we'll be looking to get something from the game."

Hughes has developed a strong central defensive partnership with Brede Hangeland since the Norwegian signed from FC Copenhagen last year.

The 29-year-old believes he has become a much better player since Hangeland arrived at Craven Cottage.

"Personally I feel that I have improved, definitely," he said.

"If you take any 18-month period of my career I probably have improved as much as any other part of my career if not a little more.

"I have learned a little bit more after seeing a different style of football and a different way of thinking."