Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes his side should not be 'written off' after a disappointing run of form, but admits that 'a lot' of things could happen in the second half of the season.

And he has given an update on key injured duo Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne ahead of the Premier League clash with Newcastle United on January 13. The Magpies host City in their first home game of 2024 after what will be challenging games at Liverpool and Sunderland, in the FA Cup, as Eddie Howe's men look to regain their form.

City returned to action following their success in the Club World Cup with a 3-1 win over Everton on Wednesday night, coming from behind to beat the Toffees thanks to goals from Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez - from the penalty spot - and Bernardo Silva. Guardiola was delighted with the performance, which saw them come from behind after Jack Harrison's opener.

"Really, really important. It was a massive game for us, coming from Saudi Arabia," said Guardiola. "We were really pleased with how we reacted and it proved again how special this group of players is and the mentality that we have in our bones.

"We want to be there. I know we are not top of the league, (but) a lot of things are going to happen. I never saw a Premier League where every game the teams down low and mid-table can beat everyone. There will be a lot of surprises and the thing is to be there."

Guardiola said the Club World Cup was not only a distraction, but also helped refocus the players' minds.

"I remember on the plane coming back from Saudi Arabia I listened to the players when they didn't know I was listening and they started to talk about Everton," he added. "I said 'wow, this is my team'. I have the feeling they still want to try.

"We play many games this season and people say we are not the same. We have lost one of the last 13 (not including the Club World Cup). We don't talk enough about how good we are."

The only downside to the game was an ankle problem for John Stones, who left the stadium wearing a protective boot, on only his fifth Premier League start of a season already significantly affected by injury.

"Hopefully the damage isn't big and he can come back soon," said the City boss, who is also hopeful Haaland and De Bruyne will be available soon. Haaland has missed six matches with a foot problem while De Bruyne has not played since August because of a hamstring injury.

"He (Haaland) is training alone and getting better, it's a question of when the pain will disappear," he said. "He's not a skinny guy like Phil Foden, he's huge and tall so it is more difficult sometimes.

"Kevin is close, but he had fatigue yesterday and we have to be careful. If you don't handle the timings good you can get injured again. I'd love for him to play the next game or Huddersfield (in the FA Cup), but what is important is keeping him fit for a long time, not for one game or another."