‘Wow, this is my team’ - Pep Guardiola reveals proud moment listening to his Man City side ahead of hard-fought victory against Everton

After clinching a 4-0 victory against Fluminense in the Club World Cup final, City returned to English shores and made a remarkable comeback to win 3-1 against Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday. They had been enduring a slump in form in the Premier League which saw them win just once after the November international break - but the City players were adamant to get back to winning ways against a resurgent Everton.

Guardiola revealed that such was their determination and hunger for success that he overheard his players discussing Everton on the plane back from Saudi Arabia, which highlighted their commitment and focus.

Guardiola told reporters: "I remember on the plane back from Saudi, I was sat in my seat listening to my players – they didn’t know I was listening - and they started talking about Everton. Wow, this is my team, after what we’ve won after many years.

"We’ve played really well in many games. People say we’re not the same but we’ve lost one game in 12 or 13 games. We cannot win [all the time] and that’s life. We still have the desire to focus. We don’t talk about how good we are."

It was a complicated night for City at Merseyside as Jack Harrison put the hosts ahead just before the half-hour mark. But a second-half turnaround, featuring a goal from Phil Foden and contributions from Julian Alvarez and Bernardo Silva, secured three crucial Premier League points for the defending champions which brought out elaborate praise from the manager.

"That's why we are world champions, the best team in the world," Guardiola added. "Really, really important, a massive win for us. I’m really pleased how we reacted and how special this group of players are, the mentality we have in our bones. We’re not top of the league but many things can happen."

The victory against Everton saw City return to the top four in the Premier League, now five points behind leaders Liverpool with a game in hand. The upcoming fixtures for Guardiola's men include a league game against Sheffield United on Saturday and an FA Cup tie against Huddersfield at the Emirates on January 7, 2023.