GUARDIOLA: These are the type of games I love to win

PEP Guardiola praised the efforts of his City side this season after seeing them briefly return to the top of the Premier League table with victory against Everton.

- TYRONE MARSHALL

City had to scrap hard against a resilient Toffees side and they only broke their resistance with two Erling Haaland goals in the final 20 minutes of the game.

Those strikes from the Norwegian extended City's winning run to 10 games in all competitions and six in the Premier League and it comes on the back of a patchy December and a spell when they won only one of six league fixtures. But Guardiola insists his side was always playing well and showing the right mentality, even when results weren't going for them.

After seeing his side battle to victory against Everton and go top of the league for the first time since mid-November, Guardiola was asked about the 10-game winning run and the criticism his side had faced in December.

He responded with a three-minute answer that explained why he was so pleased with his players this season, revealing he never had any concerns that they had let their levels drop after winning the Treble last season. "It's a big achievement [to win 10 in a row], but the fact one person gives an opinion doesn't mean it's right," said Guardiola.