Manchester City watched rivals Manchester United win their first trophy in six years last weekend, but that EFL Cup final success had no impact on Pep Guardiola's men.
Man United defeated Newcastle United – City's Premier League opponents on Saturday – 2-0 at Wembley to mark a new high point in Erik ten Hag's impressive debut season at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag's side are still in the FA Cup, like City, and the Europa League, while their form has encouraged talk of an unlikely Premier League title bid.
City will hope to stand in their neighbours' path, but Guardiola had a short response when asked if Man United's victory meant anything for his team.
"No, nothing," he replied.
Guardiola was similarly terse in swatting away questions on comments from Erling Haaland's agent and LaLiga chief Javier Tebas.
Rafaela Pimenta, Haaland's representative, had described Real Madrid as a "dreamland" for players, while City critic Tebas has weighed in on the Premier League investigation into the club's alleged financial breaches.
Guardiola was more interested in discussing Newcastle, who are winless in four in the league and suffered Wembley heartbreak but remain in Champions League contention in fifth place.
Having been battling relegation last season, Guardiola said: "[The progress] is incredible. What happened last season and this season making the step forward, it looks like they came to stay here.
"From what I've seen lately, even the final against United, and what they have done all season, it is one of the toughest opponents we have until the end of the season for their quality.
"They can do everything – experience, the threats, the transitions, [at] set-pieces the best team in the league. There are many, many things. That's why they are there for a long time this season."
'In eight years we never lived like this' – Guardiola shocked by City drop-off
Pep Guardiola admits he has been surprised by Manchester City's alarming dip in form, saying: "In eight years we never lived like this".
Guardiola is in the midst of the longest losing run of his managerial career, with City suffering a fifth straight defeat in all competitions on Saturday as they were thrashed 4-0 by Tottenham.
They have also lost three Premier League games in a row and could end the weekend eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool, who visit bottom club Southampton on Sunday.
It is their worst run in the competition since they lost three straight between February and March 2016, when they finished fourth under Manuel Pellegrini.
"In eight years we never lived this. I knew sooner or later we would drop," Guardiola said after Saturday's game.
"I never expected to lose three Premier League games in a row but we have been incredibly consistent again and again and again.
"Now we cannot deny the reality that sometimes happens in football and life is here."
City's drop-off has coincided with star midfielder Rodri – who won the Ballon d'Or last month – being sidelined by an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Guardiola's side did not lose any of the 34 Premier League matches in which Rodri appeared last season, winning 27 and drawing seven, though they lost three of four when the Spaniard was absent.
Each of City's last six league defeats have come when Rodri has not featured, but former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes their poor run cannot be totally blamed on his injury.
"We've seen City lose the odd game here, but we've very rarely seen them outplayed in every department, but that's what we're watching," pundit Neville told Sky Sports.
"They look well short. As short as I've seen them since Pep's first season. I've not seen them as bad as this, how they've been in the last few weeks.
"He will have wanted that international break to come, thinking it would be a reset moment. But now here, it further entrenches the opinion this is a City side currently in decline.
"This is more than just Rodri, far more."
Guardiola acknowledges Man City 'are fragile' after fifth straight defeat
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged that he is in new territory following their 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Saturday, which was their fifth on the bounce.
But despite that, he was not going to hit the panic button, with his side second in the Premier League table and five points behind leaders Liverpool.
"We are fragile at the moment, we could not defend properly. We started well, struggled to score and then conceded. Then the situation is more difficult," he told Sky Sports after the match.
"I've been here as a player, maybe not as a manager, first three games at Barcelona we lost. [In the] last eight years, the results have been there, it would be a mistake to change the approach.
"There are no fairytales in life and sport, sometimes you have to live through these situations. You have to accept it. You can't blame each other, stay together, continue to do what we have done.
"Run away? Absolutely not, we have to stand up more than ever. What will define us is when we fail, we stand up and face it."
Guardiola is by some distance City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies at the club, including each of the last four Premier League titles.
His side visit league leaders Liverpool next week and could trail them by eight points by the time kick-off comes, with Arne Slot's side playing a day after City this weekend.
"I don't know what will happen this season, but not for one second will I not believe in these players," said Guardiola.
"There is no team in the world that can sustain success for eight, nine, 10 years in a row.
"Of course, everything is not fine, but what we try to do is analyse it, let's go to next game and see what happens."
On the individual performances of his players, Guardiola lamented the fitness issues that his side has faced in recent weeks.
"Chances were there. The moment they create the chances, the build-up, we couldn't handle the duels like normal. Now we're struggling a little bit," he told BBC Sport.
"It cannot happen. When you play top level teams, we can concede chances but it's part of process. In our situation, it's a bit tougher.
"The players came back late [from international duty]. There were a few reasons we're not able to be consistent.
"Of course, Rodri is important, but we knew that for many months. But [John] Stones can only play 45 minutes, Jack [Grealish] has been injured many times, Kevin [de Bruyne] two months and five months.
"We have to come back and freshen our minds. The season is so long, many things can happen."
Pep Guardiola acknowledges City 'are fragile' after fifth straight defeat
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged that he is in new territory following their 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Saturday, which was their fifth on the bounce.
But despite that, he was not going to hit the panic button, with his side second in the Premier League table and five points behind leaders Liverpool.
"We are fragile at the moment, we could not defend properly. We started well, struggled to score and then conceded. Then the situation is more difficult," he told Sky Sports after the match.
"I’ve been here as a player, maybe not as a manager, first three games at Barcelona we lost. [In the] last eight years, the results have been there, it would be a mistake to change the approach.
"There are no fairytales in life and sport, sometimes you have to live through these situations. You have to accept it. You can't blame each other, stay together, continue to do what we have done.
"Run away? Absolutely not, we have to stand up more than ever. What will define us is when we fail, we stand up and face it."
Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies at the club including each of the last four Premier League titles.
His side visit league leaders Liverpool next week and could trail them by eight points by the time kick-off comes, with Arne Slot's side playing a day after City this weekend.
"I don’t know what will happen this season, but not for one second will I not believe in these players," said Guardiola.
"There is no team in the world that can sustain success for eight, nine, 10 years in a row.
"Of course everything is not fine, but what we try to do is analyse it, let’s go to next game and see what happens."
On the individual performances of his players, Guardiola lamented the fitness issues that his side has faced in recent weeks.
"Chances were there. The moment they create the chances, the build-up, we couldn't handle the duels like normal. Now we're struggling a little bit," he told BBC Sport.
"It cannot happen. When you play top level teams, we can concede chances but it's part of process. In our situation it's a bit tougher.
"The players came back late [from international duty]. There were a few reasons we're not able to be consistent.
"Of course Rodri is important, but we knew that for many months. But [John] Stones can only play 45 minutes, Jack [Grealish] has been injured many times, Kevin [de Bruyne] two months and five months.
"We have to come back and freshen our minds. The season is so long, many things can happen."
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