CITY are hoping that Emmanuel Adebayor will be the spark to re-ignite their winning start to the season.

The big Togolese striker is expected back in action for the visit of Burnley on Saturday after missing two games with a back spasm problem.

And it is no coincidence that his problems with injury and suspension have come at the same time as City's sprint start to the season has slowed.

The Blues are fourth after four draws on the trot, but a home game against the team with the worst away record in the Premier League is seen as the perfect opportunity to hit the winning trail again ahead of the international break.

Blues assistant manager Mark Bowen has revealed that since the opening four games, in each of which he scored, Adebayor has been troubled by a series of small injuries which have seen him miss matches but also go into others below par.

"It's been difficult for him," said Bowen. "Ade was flying at the start of the season, for the first four or five games, and then had a suspension and an international break, which meant he missed a few games.

"He has also had a few niggling little injuries, so hasn't had a lot of actual day-to-day training. We work on intensity when we train outside, and he has missed that.

"His last couple of games have been about trying to patch him up and sling him back on to the field of play.

"He is really positive when he goes out there but it's not the same when you have missed training days. It has affected him going into games - he has had a mental thing about maybe not being 100 per cent.

"But this week he seems to be pain-free and hopefully will be 100 per cent for the weekend."

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