Five days on from being crowned FIFA Club World Cup champions in Saudi, City staged a wonderful second half fightback at Goodison Park to claim a crucial three points.
The victory saw City fight back from 1-0 down on the road for a second successive league game and was enough to lift us back into the top four.
Phil Foden cancelled out Jack Harrison’s first half opener for the hosts before a Julian Alvarez penalty and a late strike from Bernardo Silva sealed all three points.
And reflecting on the match, the City boss was in no doubt as to the significance of the result.
“It was a massive win for us after where we came back from Saudi Arabia as world champions,” Guardiola declared.
“We were really pleased with how we reacted and it proved again how special this group of players is and the mentality that we have in our bones.
“We want to be there. I know we are not top of the league, a lot of things are going to happen.
“I never saw a Premier League where every game the teams down low and mid table can beat everyone. There will be a lot of surprises and the thing is to be there.
“We are really pleased for the victory except to concede a goal after we played really good.
“But the second half we increased our rhythm, played to the wingers and it was really really good.”
Guardiola also asserted that the manner of the win, with City overcoming the challenge of a first half deficit, a bearpit of a Goodison atmosphere and the challenge of returning to domestic duties after a demanding week in Saudi Arabia, made it all the more satisfying.
“Football and life is like that, how you react in difficult moments,” Guardiola added.
“We’d love to be 4-0 up after 20 minutes but in real football it happens. It happens against Palace, how you overcome those situations.
“I remember on the plane home after Saudi being world champions, I listened to the players, they didn’t know, and they started to talk about Everton.
“I said: ‘Wow this is my team.’ We saw the teams they beat here, they’re so special and the way they control things. We want to be there.
“After many years they still have the feeling they want to try again. When you win a lot, we played really well and were not been able to win.
“We lost one game in 12/13, Aston Villa were miles better but the rest we were better. We were there but couldn’t do it, that’s football.
“But we still had the desire to focus. We don’t talk about ourselves - it’s what’s next, and I like that a lot.”
The boss also had words of praise for Foden after the England international delivered another man of the match display capped by his superb second half leveller.
But the boss insisted that there was even more to come from the 23-year-old.
“We forget sometimes how young Phil is,” Pep added.
“The talent is there: winger, striker, drop in, he can play in attacking midfielder and without options from Erling we need a sense of goal.
“Otherwise, we don’t have many players with a real sense of goal that’s why how he’s playing is so important. We’re pleased.
“Don’t forget he’s young and has lots to improve to be top class for many years.”
