A magnetoresistive detection head for detecting relative displacement of a magnetic recording medium relative to the detection head includes two sets of magnetoresistive elements which change their respective resistances in response to changes in the intensity of a magnetic field generated by the magnetic recording medium during the relative displacement. The magnetoresistive elements are overlapped and spaced relative to each other by a specified space lag in the direction of the relative displacement. One set of magnetoresistive elements produce a sine output and the other a cosine output. The overlapping and precise spacing of the elements aligns the phases of the signal envelopes of the sine and cosine outputs, reducing reading errors when physical warps appear on the magnetic recording medium.