Manchester City boss Sven Goran Eriksson is proud of the progress the club has made this season.

"I don't know whether the players felt they had a point to prove to the owner or anyone else in the game at Liverpool but what I would say is that myself, the coaching staff and everyone who works at the Carrington training ground are a close unit and it has always been like that and I'm very proud of them and what we have achieved," the City boss said in the Manchester Evening News.

Despite his position appearing to be undermined, Eriksson insisted: "This is not the toughest time I have had in football.

"Speculation in football whether it is to do with managers, players, business or politics is always there amongst fans today.

"All I want to see is another City win at Middlesbrough next Sunday then it is the time for talking. I think it is always important in my job to behave in a proper way.

"Maybe people think I haven't always done that but there are always excuses to behave badly if you choose to and I don't."