Skipper Vincent Kompany claims Manchester City have the mental strength to cope with the pressure of the Premier League title race.
The Belgium international made a disappointing return from a four-match suspension on Tuesday evening as City crashed to a 1-0 defeat against Everton at Goodison Park on the same night as rivals Manchester United won 2-0 against Stoke at Old Trafford.
It means City's lead at the top of the table is down to just goal difference and raised question marks over whether Roberto Mancini's side have the bottle for a prolonged title scrap in the second half of the campaign.
However, Kompany hit back and said: "If there is one thing I know about our team it is that we are mentally strong.
"We have been living with this pressure for the past three and a half years, and it has not affected us.
"If anything it will give us a boost to carry on and if people want to underestimate us, then please do so."
He added: "Now we have to look forward, and looking forward I see good things for us, and that is what is important.
"I have always said about our team that we always bounce back very well, and if for some reason you are not lucky and lose a game - giving due credit to Everton - you just have to carry on.
"On another day we would have won the game. My role now is to say to the guys that this one is over, and it's on to the next game, and a clean sheet. We start from the beginning again.
"There is no shame in going under at Everton. It wasn't enjoyable, but we believe we can go back to our best football and win the games that are left to play."