Pablo Zabaleta: 'Manchester City feeling positive'

Pablo Zabaleta has insisted that the Manchester City squad are in a positive mood ahead of this weekend's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Leeds United.

The Premier League champions recently slipped 12 points behind leaders Manchester United in the table following a 3-1 defeat at Southampton.

"We had a great [training] session on Wednesday afternoon and the feeling among the lads is very positive," Zabaleta told the club's official website.

"Sometimes after a game like Southampton you need a few days to think about what went wrong and why, and then come back stronger and I believe that's what will happen.

"I think it was just one of those days when everything went wrong. It's not an excuse, but sometimes when everyone is away for international duty in the days before it is difficult to prepare in the normal way and I think it didn't help us on this occasion."

City welcome Championship club Leeds to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.