Newcastle boss Eddie Howe defended his players after their FA Cup defeat at Manchester City.
The visitors lost 2-0 on the day.
Howe said: We tried our very best to force them into mistakes, but they didn't. They were very good. Conceding the two goals that we did didn't help our cause.
It was an uphill battle. We covered a lot of ground, but when we had our moments our last pass was lacking.
The difference is their technical quality and their players who can get out of tight situations it's at the highest level. We're trying to get to their level.
We've got 10 massive games left and are only a few points below seventh place [in the Premier League], so we're looking to end the season on a high."