Manchester City striker Wilfried Bony has admitted that his start to life at the Etihad has been far from ideal ahead of their clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Manuel Pellegrini splashed £30million on the former Swansea City forward during the January transfer window, but he has scored just one goal in seven games in all competitions since then with his progress hampered by injury.

Having been the Premier League's leading scorer in 2014, City fans have reason to be frustrated with the forward - but he is hoping to show his best form as a disappointing season draws to an end.

“It has been a frustrating start and the recent injury hasn't helped but I’m not going to use that as an excuse because as a footballer you have to take the good with the bad,” Bony asserted.

"I just have to be fit and ready for Tottenham on Sunday because it is a very important game for us and one we need to win to stay in the top three - which is where we need to finish.

“We have four games left and we will try to win them all because if we can end this season having won our final six matches, it will be a positive we can use going into the next campaign and obviously I hope I can play my part in achieving that.”

City defender Eliaquim Mangala has already spoken of the threat posed by Spurs forward Harry Kane, and Bony took the time to praise the form of the recent England debutant.

"Spurs have had a good season and they have a number of players who can hurt you. Harry Kane has been on fire and they will be aiming to finish in fifth so they will want to win this game as well.

“Kane has played very well this season and scored a lot of goals. Any striker will tell you that you scoring goals regularly is not easy, particularly in the Premier League, but when you do, you are at the top of your game and dangerous."

The reverse fixture at the Etihad finished 4-1 to the hosts with Sergio Agüero scoring all four City goals, but Bony knows that they can't afford to rest on their laurels as they look to end the season on a high.

"They have a strong squad and it’s not only Kane who will be a threat to us," he warned. "Though we have a good record against Spurs in recent years, that counts for nothing on Sunday.

“We just need to play well and having lost our last five games on the road, we need to get back to winning matches away from home.”