Foden backs Guardiola despite City's struggles

Manchester City's Phil Foden has reaffirmed the squad's faith in Pep Guardiola, even as the club grapples with a challenging period following a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the derby on 15 December at the Etihad Stadium.

The loss marked City's eighth defeat in 11 matches across all competitions, deepening a crisis that has left the Premier League champions nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.

City's title defence has been further dented by five league defeats already this season, compared to just three across the entirety of their previous campaign.

Despite these setbacks, Foden is confident the team remains united behind their manager, who recently extended his contract by two years.

"We are still nowhere near our level, but I still believe that we are playing good enough to get points and results," said Foden.

"It's about remaining focused throughout the full 90 minutes, but we keep switching off at important times. We just need to get the focus right. We stick together, regroup, and believe in ourselves after what we've achieved in the past. We keep believing in the process and the manager -- I'm sure if we do that we will get back to winning ways and get back to our level."

City's defensive frailties were on full display in the derby, conceding twice in the final moments of the match.

Guardiola, visibly frustrated, admitted afterwards that he was "not good enough" to halt the worst slump of his managerial career.

Foden, however, pointed out the team's frustration with their performances. "I can't put a finger on what's going on," he said.

"I thought the performance was more than good enough to get the result, but we come out with no points, and it seems to be the same story at the moment."

Acknowledging the sombre mood in the dressing room after the derby defeat, Foden urged his teammates to avoid dwelling on the disappointment.

"The changing room is obviously going to be down and sad at the moment, but we can't dwell on this too much. It's about sticking together and finding a way forward."

With a crucial away match against Aston Villa on Saturday, followed by a Boxing Day clash at home to Everton and a trip to Leicester to close out the year, City face a demanding festive schedule.

Foden stressed the importance of mental resilience during this period, saying, "It's about keeping our mentality strong throughout the whole 90 minutes, and we're not doing that at the moment. We have to go again and show character to come back from this blip.

"It's not a time for moaning. It's about sticking together, remaining strong, and going again. I'm positive we are going to come back."