Pep Guardiola hails Manchester City's crucial Premier League win over Everton - ‘These victories count for more’

Pep Guardiola said hard-fought victories like the one his side secured over Everton at the Etihad “count for more” as Manchester City kept pressure on Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The Toffees thwarted and frustrated the reigning champions for 70 minutes until Erling Haaland broke the deadlock in the 70th minute with the game’s first shot on target.

The Norway international added a second to increase City’s winning streak in all competitions to 10 games and briefly move them top of the table as they bid to become the first team to lift the Premier League title four times in a row.

Asked how hard his players had to work to see off the challenge of Everton, Guardiola told TNT Sports: “I told them, they don't believe me, they felt it and these types of victories count more than the other ones by far like Brentford a few days ago [a 3-1 win on Monday] . So we were there, we didn’t concede one shot on target.

“Of course they were incredibly organised. It’s so difficult. On set-pieces we weren't perfect on the second ball but I don’t think we conceded one corner or nothing.

“At the end I think the changes in the second half, Kyle [Walker] and Kevin [De Bruyne] gave us another rhythm and then of course Erling is back.

“When the ball is there he’s always there and the finish is amazing.”

While Haaland rightly received most of the plaudits after bagging his 52nd and 53rd goals in 52 appearances in City blue, Guardiola also lauded De Bruyne for his 35-minute cameo.

The Belgium international returned from five months on the sidelines in January and once again showed why he is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, putting the ball on a plate for Haaland’s second.

Eyebrows were raised when his name wasn’t in the starting line-up but Guardiola insisted he is managing the playmaker’s game time for the crucial run-in to come.

“Kevin since he came back is something for many years I’ve seen. He’s so fresh in his mind, in his legs and that's why sometimes I don’t play him because I want to keep him fresh,” Guardiola added.

“Sometimes a few minutes like today the impact on Kevin is higher than maybe from the beginning. I know the 12:30 play is always a bit sloppy the game but it is what it is.”

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