Manchester City defender Kolo Toure thinks his team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor has been unfairly criticised for his behaviour in Saturday's 4-2 win against Arsenal.

The Togo international appeared to stamp on Gunners star Robin van Persie and, after scoring the third goal against his former club, raced the length of the pitch to celebrate his feat in front of the visiting fans.

Toure, who also left Arsenal for Eastlands in the summer, was quoted in The Sun as saying: "I am astounded because he has received blows from all the Arsenal players.

"Even though he was the first to go and salute them in the tunnel, even those who had an affinity with him didn't want to shake his hand. For me that is unacceptable.

"There was a very difficult moment with the supporters. At the start of the game they were whistling at him as if he never brought anything to the club. It was hard.

"I don't caution him for his gesture although I tried to stop him and I also have apologised to the fans. It's not to them that he should do this.

"I told him that this was not a good thing and he apologised. The problem is that they booed him while they applauded me. It was a reaction of pride. The whole world could have a reaction like that."