City's fans inspire me, says Adebayor

Support from the stands has helped £25m striker find goalscoring form in no time

Emmanuel Adebayor has taken another swipe at Arsenal fans by explaining how their Manchester City counterparts have inspired his free-scoring start to the season. The £25m signing felt Gunners' supporters took their frustrations out on him last season and the Togo striker insists he is enjoying his football again following his summer move.

"As soon as you play for a team where the fans love you and are always behind you, you try to give them something back," he said. "That is what I have been showing since I joined. It is the same with new players like Carlos Tevez and Gareth Barry – with the support from the fans, that motivates and makes you a special player."

After scoring three minutes into his City career with the opener against Blackburn Rovers, Adebayor has scored winners in following games with Wolves and Portsmouth.

"We have three wins, three clean sheets, nine points – for us the most important thing is believing we can do something good," he said. "We will see where the season takes us. We have to keep enjoying ourselves."

Gareth Barry's corner set up Adebayor for the winner at Fratton Park on Sunday, meaning City have already matched the two away wins in the league of last season.

"Ade is a great front man to hit, and when he attacks at corners with the leap he has there are not many defenders that can live with him," said Barry. "We hope he's got a couple more of them left in him this season."

Adebayor is relishing his role in City's fluid front three, with Tevez and Craig Bellamy supporting him at Portsmouth and Robinho on the bench. "In football there is one language," Adebayor said. "If you know how to play football you have to adapt to whoever is on your side.

"We all know what a quality player Carlos Tevez is, and his ability. Playing alongside him is easy. It is the same with Craig Bellamy – he understands the game so well. We are enjoying ourselves, and that is why we are doing well at the moment. The fans are happy, and we are happy."

City's manager, Mark Hughes, is also impressed with Bellamy. "I felt if we did come under pressure he would be a good outlet for us. It wasn't a reflection on how "Robbie" [Robinho] has done in the last few games because he has been excellent.

Next for City are Arsenal and rivals Manchester United after the international break, meaning Adebayor will face the club he left this summer.

"They made me a better player and believed in my quality when I first came to England," the 25-year-old said of the Gunners. "To play against them will be special."