New York City FC head coach Ronny Deila has urged his side to 'stay together' following their 1-0 defeat to rivals New York Red Bulls.
Having previously been riding high in the Eastern Conference, NYCFC have slumped into eighth position, below the playoff line, thanks to a run of just one win in their last nine games.
During that time, they've taken just one point from three games against the Red Bulls, who have now drawn level on points with their Hudson River derby rivals. Deila's side fell behind after just three minutes to a Cristian Casseres Jr strike on Sunday and were unable to muster a comeback.
NYCFC still have five regular-season games remaining to salvage their playoff hopes and Deila believes it's critical that his players pull together.
“First of all, you have to believe, it’s the most important thing. That everyone stays together, we know how good we can be when we are at our best," he told reporters.
