Pep Guardiola says Manchester City showed champions mentality after Everton comeback

Pep Guardiola used Manchester City’s 3-3 draw at Everton to make a simple point: his side did not fold when the game turned against them. City were 1-3 down before recovering to draw 3-3, and Guardiola said that response showed a champion’s mentality. He also admitted the defensive errors were too easy, and kept Manchester City in the title race rather than talking the draw down.

Why Guardiola framed the draw as a positive

The comeback mattered to Guardiola because Everton scored three goals in a 13-minute span, which turned the game sharply and could have buried City. Instead, City pulled themselves back from 1-3 and left with a point. Guardiola said, "We proved it in the Everton game. At 1-3 it was not done and it ended 3-3. Still we are here. The season has been more than good so far. Let's win the next game and after we'll see what happens."

He did not pretend the defending was acceptable. "Of course we made mistakes," he said. "The goals we conceded, they were so easy for them." That is the part of the night that matters as much as the comeback. City showed resilience, but they also gave Everton openings they should not be giving up at this stage of the season.

The table still keeps the pressure on Manchester City. They are second in the Premier League, with Arsenal top, and Guardiola’s point was not that the race is over, only that it is still open.

Guardiola also backed Phil Foden

Guardiola used the same post-match message to stand up for Phil Foden. "I've said many times, I have no doubt about Phil," he said. "He's been massively important in our seasons together and I wish, from the bottom of my heart, he can come back to his best and play the next years with all of us, to help the team to continue being what it deserves to be."

That backing comes with context. Foden is 25, Guardiola expects him to sign a new four-year contract, and he has still made 29 Premier League appearances this season. The season has not been written off by any means, but Guardiola clearly sees Foden as a central player who can still raise his level.

The broader message from the Everton draw is straightforward enough. Manchester City remain in the title race, Guardiola believes the comeback said something useful about his team, and Foden still has the manager's trust. City now move on to the next game, with the gap to Arsenal still there and the room for another slip much smaller.