Our fight proves we have energy to burn

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure has played down his training-ground bust-up with team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor.

The duo, who also played alongside each other at Arsenal, had to be pulled apart by several of their fellow City players before the situation calmed down.

The scrap came just hours before the club's crucial showdown against title rivals Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday evening.

Toure has been quick to brush off the incident and does not believe the latest row to hit City will impact on the team's title prospects. “It was a bust-up because of a hard tackle,” Toure told The Sun.

“We both lost it but it was quickly calmed down. Other players and the manager came to separate us. It's already forgotten. In any case, with Adebayor it's not the first time and it won't be the last.

“At Arsenal we often had a similar set-to. We know each other well, maybe too well. In any case that proves we have energy to burn. It's not that negative.”

It is not the first time spirit in the club's camp has been questioned after Mario Balotelli and Jerome Boateng also came to blows on the training ground.

And Adebayor also became embroiled in an on-field row with Vincent Kompany during the team's shock 2-1 Premier League defeat by Wolves.