Manchester City coach David Platt has praised Aleksandar Kolarov for the dedication that he shows to taking free kicks during training.

The Serbian defender has scored three times this season from dead ball situations - the latest of which came during Saturday's 3-0 victory over Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium.

Having watched the full-back practise after training, Platt has conceded that he is not surprised by the success that he has had in recent weeks.

"Ally deserves the goals he has got in the last few weeks from set pieces because he has religiously, three times a week, stayed out for 10 minutes and he keeps putting them in," Platt told the Manchester Evening News.

"Ask Richard Wright - he has got a bad back from picking them out of the goal! Ally has put a lot of work in on his set-pieces so he deserves the goals he has got."

Kolarov joined City in 2010 from Italian side Lazio.