Manchester City boss Mark Hughes said today that the club will fight Emmanuel Adebayor's misconduct charge following his controversial celebration against Arsenal last weekend.

The former Gunners striker has already picked up a three-match ban after being charged with violent conduct following his stamp on Robin van Persie in the same match.

But City boss Hughes insists the club will not be accepting the same fate over Adebayor's additional "offence" after he ran 90 yards to celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans following his goal.

Adebayor has been criticised by Greater Manchester Police for goading the Arsenal fans. However, Hughes believes that the striker was provoked by his former team-mates before the match and claims his celebrations were merely an outpouring of emotion.

He said: "I think it is important not to take the emotion out of the game and that is part and parcel of why it is such a huge sport worldwide.

"But the circumstances of the game and the amount of criticism and vitriol that Ade had to take was not nice.

"It was a difficult situation for him, the first time he has come up against former team-mates, and some of those felt prior to the game like they could not shake hands with him.

“All these things maybe affect somebody's emotional state in the game and I just think the celebration was an outpouring.

“I have to say he did not leave the field of play, he slid on his knees which is his normal celebration.”

Cesc Fabregas has since claimed that he almost had his leg broken in the same match but Hughes dismissed his complaints.

He added: “Well, there are incidents in games that if they are slowed down and looked at in minute detail they look worse than they are.

“I don't recall Fabregas not finishing the game and correct me if I am wrong but he played 90 minutes in the week as well, so maybe the injury was not so bad.”

Hughes was in belligerent mood ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby and went as far as to claim that United are not the team they were after selling Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez this summer.
He said: “I think they have been below par this season. They have lost two significant players from last year and any team can and will be affected by that.”

In Adebayor's absence, Hughes will be hoping to have Carlos Tevez available against his former club at Old Trafford.

But Sir Alex Ferguson said today that he does not care whether the Argentine is fit but is relieved Adebayor won't be playing.

Tevez rejected a new contract at United in the summer to join City, who gloated about the transfer by putting up a Welcome to Manchester' billboard in the city.

The striker must overcome a knee injury to line-up at Old Trafford but Ferguson said: “I am not bothered whether Tevez plays against us — Manchester City's best player won't be playing.

“Adebayor is their star man, there is no question about that. He has scored in every game so far.”
Ferguson is still riled by the Tevez billboard and said: “That was arrogance. They shouldn't have done that.

“Other than that, what else they are doing doesn't worry me. What you have to concern yourself with, for now, is who is going to win the League?”