Leander Dendoncker said Aston Villa were served a reminder of how tough the Premier League is in their Boxing Day defeat against Manchester United.
After a strong first half at Old Trafford, the away side saw a two-goal lead slip away as the hosts came back to win 3-2.
The Belgian midfielder feels his team need to move on quickly as they look to maintain their lofty position in the table.
He said: “The manager said after the game that it’s a reminder that the level in the Premier League is really high, especially in the top five, six or seven. It’s really tough.
“You know that when you come to a place like Manchester United it’s going to be really tough. And when you lead 2-0, you should try and defend that to get a win.
“It’s a shame. We have to keep looking forward. We’ve done brilliantly up until now and we have to try to keep going.”
While the result was hard to take, Dendoncker could take heart from making his first league start of the season.
The 28-year-old was also in the right place at the right time to flick home Villa’s second goal, which was his first for the club.
“It’s not been easy for me, personally,” he said.
“I’ve been trying to work hard in training and waiting for the chance to come, like it did today.
“I scored my first goal for Villa today, which was really nice for me, but it would have been nicer if we’d have gotten a win.”
