Sven-Goran Eriksson believes Manchester City "still have a chance to come fourth" in the Premier League this season.City were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom side Derby in Wednesday night's Premier League encounter, meaning they have now drawn five of their last seven games in the league.

The Rams had lost eight of their 11 league games at Pride Park coming into the clash and having suffered an embarrassing exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Championship Preston at the weekend, looked an easy target for a City team still dreaming of a Champions League spot.

It was not to be, however, as Kenny Miller's low shot took a huge deflection off Sun Jihai and flew past the wrong-footed Joe Hart into the right corner to put Derby ahead.

Derby were denied a victory in front of their new American owners when hot young prospect Daniel Sturridge marked his full debut with a first Premier League goal, his second in as many games.

The result left City sixth in the table, two points behind fourth-placed Everton, who drew with Tottenham, but a place and point above favourites Liverpool, who were beaten at West Ham.

Eriksson remains hopeful his side can achieve a top-four finish but conceded his side's draw was "a missed opportunity" in light of other results.

"There are 14 games so we still have a chance to come fourth, hopefully," he said. "I think it was a missed opportunity but I can't blame the players for that.

"You play good, you try to play good, you have the right spirit out there, you create chances and you don't let Derby create too many chances, I'm happy with that."

County may still only have recorded just one league win all season, a 1-0 victory over Newcastle in September, and amassed just eight points - leaving them 12 points behind 17th-placed Birmingham, who they meet on Saturday.

But it was a major improvement from Paul Jewell's side, a performance which, according to Eriksson, belied their position.

He said: "I haven't seen them every game of course, but I think it's strange that they are in the position they are in the table.

"I think they stood up, fought, organised and did well."

The Swede admitted his side were guilty of playing to the Rams' strengths at times but is determined to put that right on the training ground.

"If I'm going to be a bit critical we have to play a little bit more from behind. We played too many long balls and we can't win those (because Derby's defenders were bigger) so the concentration is to try and win the second balls," he added. "But we are working on it and sometimes we are doing very well. Every time we could control the ball I thought we were dangerous towards Derby."

As for Jewell, the Rams boss was relieved to give the home support a display which restored "a bit of pride" after their weekend horror show.

"I think in the circumstances obviously the result is important but the performance was more important than anything," he said.

"I think from the supporters' point of view that at least they can say we might not be the best team, we might not play great football but the lads have put a shift in and got a bit of pride back."

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