Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has declared his huge sense of “pride” after his ailing champions suffered yet another defeat, this time at the hands of Aston Villa.

Guardiola refused to point the finger at his players following the 2-1 loss - their sixth defeat in their last eight games.

“Thanks to some players today, the pride they showed on the pitch again,” he said.

“It happens since three months ago, nothing has changed. I have to deal with that. This is not an easy place to come, last season in the Premier League we didn’t win here.

“I take the positive things from here, reflect and the same with the players. What I see them doing before and after, how they behave and I feel pride, thinking let’s go, onto the next one.

“It’s over, this is one, we will recover, see how many players can play the next game against Everton and try to do it.

“I never point in nine years and never will point at players, it will be easy for me to say that and completely wrong.

“They tried, and they want to do it and have to find a solution and balance to create more chances and score goals and not concede.”

Erling Haaland was hugely frustrated throughout the contest once again and has now scored just one in his last six league games, but Guardiola stuck up for his talisman.

“Without him, we will be even worse,” Guardiola said of the Norwegian.

“But I like how the players feel this way. This is our only chance we have to get better.

“We tried and at the end he needs to be delivered the right balls in the right spots and position, but now we will fight for the next one.”