(Reuters) -Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said his side were not aggressive enough as they succumbed to their first loss since August in Sunday's 1-0 Premier League defeat at Aston Villa, but he insisted that his players were getting better.

City suffered back-to-back losses in August, but picked up 13 points in their next five league matches and went unbeaten in nine matches in all competitions before the defeat at Villa Park.