Stoke City cannot let Monday's 2-0 Premier League defeat by runaway leaders Manchester City define their season and must seek a response when they play Everton this weekend, manager Paul Lambert has said.

Manchester City midfielder David Silva scored both goals in a comfortable win to leave relegation-threatened Stoke facing a daunting task with eight games remaining in the season but Lambert said his team could not be written off just yet.

"This game is not going to define our season, not at all - there are positives to be taken from this game for sure," Lambert told the club's website (www.stokecityfc.com).

Struggling Stoke sit second from bottom in the league with 27 points after six victories, nine draws and 15 defeats. They host ninth-placed Everton on Saturday.

"We're still well in the mix, there are plenty of points to be played for and we'll be ready to go again on Saturday against Everton," he said.

Pep Guardiola's City, who prevailed 7-2 when the two teams met at the Etihad Stadium earlier in the season, were unable to convert a number of chances on Monday.

"They never really managed to calve us open tonight, like they have with other teams, we made a couple of wrong decisions which helped them with their goals, but all in all I thought we were strong and resolute," Lambert added.

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