Manchester City midfielder Javi Garcia says they showed character to defeat Newcastle United after last week's setback against Manchester United.
Garcia headed his first goal since his debut in September on the day.
He said: "It was an important game after what happened against United. We had to show we could continue to have a winning mentality.
"It's normal to be feeling down after a result like that, but we had to lift our heads up. We had to continue to believe in ourselves and remain positive.
"I don't know if it was our best half, but we definitely played very well. If we maintain those standards and keep that attitude, I think we can chase down Manchester United and we are going to be very hard to beat."