Micah Richards says he is looking for more from Riyad Mahrez's end product on a consistent basis.
The Manchester City star found the net in his side's 4-1 Carabao Cup victory over Arsenal, curling in a free-kick that should have been saved by Gunners goalkeeper Runar Runarsson.
Yet the Icelandic international let the free-kick through his hands, giving Mahrez his fifth goal of the season.
Mahrez previously scored a hat-trick in City's 5-0 win over Burnley but has struggled to find the net on a regular basis so far this season.
Former City defender Richards is a big fan of the Algerian international but admits that some supporters may want to see more consistency from the attacker.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Richards said Mahrez can be a vital player for Pep Guardiola.
Richards said: "He's been in great form. He's a player that can turn a game on its head.
"I feel so sorry for the goalkeeper for his goal, you want him to make an impression.
"But Mahrez, we see this from him week-in and week-out. He does get a lot of goals and assists, but the City fans might want to see him be a little bit more consistent in terms of his delivery - he's a little bit wasteful at times. But he's a top player."
Mahrez admitted he got some luck with his free-kick but was pleased with the overall performance from City.
He said: "I was surprised at the position of the keeper. He was very so close to the post, I thought he was going to move a little bit, that's why I put it there, but he didn't move. Luckily he didn't catch it properly so good for us."
He added: "It was a solid performance. We started good and then they equalised.
"In the second half we scored with the lucky free-kick and got the third one and was more easy for us."