Wilfried Bony ready to step up with Sergio Aguero out

Wilfried Bony is ready to put his injury problems behind him and step up for Manchester City in the absence of Sergio Aguero.

Bony has struggled to shake off a number of injuries since his big-money move from Swansea in January 2015, and the 26-year-old has made just two Premier League starts this season.

Bony's opportunities at City have been limited, but the Ivory Coast international is set to get his chance following Aguero's hamstring injury suffered against Ecuador.

The Argentina forward has suggested he could miss up to seven City matches, which would mean Bony could deputise in the Manchester derby on October 25 and in Sevilla in the Champions League 10 days later, with Aguero targeting a possible return against Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium on November 21.

"It's never good when your team-mates are injured but that's the way football goes sometimes," Bony told the club's official website.

"Now I need to take things game by game and work hard. I have to take my chance and score goals for the team - that's why I am here."

Bony's own injury concerns have included an ankle problem, but the former-Swansea striker is now Manchester City's only recognised forward.

Youngster Kelechi Iheanacho has featured in the first-team this season and scored his first Premier League goal against Crystal Palace, while Raheem Sterling has played through the middle for Liverpool, but Bony is the most established choice for manager Manuel Pellegrini.

"A lot of crazy things have happened since I joined City and I've been ruled out with injury three or four times so it's been hard to find any rhythm playing one or two games here and there," Bony added.

"It's been the worst spell of my career without question - in the past five years I'd never missed more than two games in a row and at Swansea I only missed a handful of matches and that was mostly because of a red card I received.

"It's not been the best time for me in that respect and it has been very frustrating, but hopefully the City fans will now see the new Bony."