Manchester City players still believe in manager Pep Guardiola, according to striker Phil Foden after rivals Manchester United extended their disastrous run of form.

Guardiola, 53, has won the Premier League four times in a row but Sunday's derby defeat leaves City fifth in the table and nine points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand.

Amad Diallo's goal means Guardiola have lost eight of their last 11 games.

"We are still not close to our level but I believe we are playing well to get points and results," said Foden.

"It's about staying focused for the whole 90 minutes, but we continue to switch it off in the important moments. We just need to get our focus right.

“After what we've been through, we've stuck together, regrouped and believed in ourselves.

"We'll continue to believe in the process and the manager - I'm sure if we do that we'll get back to winning ways and get back to our level."

Guardiola signed a new deal that will keep him at Tottenham until 2027 after a rotten run of Carabao Cup promotion at Tottenham on October 30.

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That defeat means they now have a free midweek to reflect and rejuvenate ahead of a tough Premier League trip to Aston Villa.

"I can't put my finger on what's going to happen," Foden said after United's defeat.

I thought the performance was more than good enough to get the result but we came away with no points and it looks like the same story at the moment. We just have to stick together.

"Obviously the changing room is going to be down and miserable at the moment, but we can't think too much about it - we have to try to pick ourselves back up."

"In football there's always another chance to make it right."

City's trip to Villa at the weekend will be followed by a Boxing Day game at home to Everton before finishing 2024 away to Leicester.

"Our mindset is to stay strong throughout the 90 minutes and we're not doing that at the moment," Foden said.

“To come back from this slump we have to go again and behave.

“It's not a time to moan – it's about sticking together, staying strong and going again. I'm sure we'll be back.”