Manchester City players still believe in manager Pep Guardiola, says forward Phil Foden after rivals Manchester United added to their dreadful run of form.

Guardiola, 53, has won the Premier League four times in a row but Sunday’s derby defeat left City fifth in the standings and nine points behind leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand on their title rivals.

Amad Diallo’s late goal means Guardiola has been responsible for eight defeats in their last 11 matches.

“We’re still nowhere near our level, but I still think we’re playing well enough to get points and results,” Foden said.

“It remains to be focused throughout the full 90 minutes, but we continue to switch off at important times. We just need to be focused.

“After what we have achieved in the past we stay together, regroup and believe in ourselves.

“We 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 until 2027 during a rotten run that began with a Carabao Cup exit at Tottenham on 30 October.

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That loss means they now have a free midweek to reflect and refresh ahead of Saturday’s tough-looking Premier League trip to Aston Villa.

“I can’t put my finger on what’s going on,” Foden said after the defeat to United.

“I thought the performance was more than good enough to get a result, but we come away with no points, and it seems to be the same story at the moment. We just have to be together.

“The changing room will obviously be down and sad at the moment, but we can’t dwell too much on that – we have to try and pick ourselves back up.

“In football there’s always a second chance to get it right.”

City’s trip to Villa at the weekend is followed by a Boxing Day game at home to Everton before moving away to Leicester in 2024.

“It’s about keeping our mentality strong throughout the 90 minutes and we’re not doing that at the moment,” Foden said.

“We have to go again and show character to come back from this blip.

“This is not a time to mourn – it is to stick together, stay strong and go again. I am positive we are going to come back.”