.png)
5 hours ago
4
For Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side, the celebrations at full-time at Goodison Park on Saturday pointed to a monumental result in the context of their substandard campaign.
City have set the benchmark in English football, as the first side to win four top-flight titles in a row, but they will relinquish their hold on the trophy this season.
They also fell in the Champions League play-offs - and for 84 minutes on Merseyside, it seemed like they were facing a real battle to compete in Europe's elite club competition next term.
But two late goals from the emerging star Nico O'Reilly and experienced midfielder Mateo Kovacic gave City a hard-fought victory at Everton.
Asked how big the result was, Guardiola told BBC Sport: "I would say big. We have five, six games left and with the moment they had after [winning against] Nottingham Forest away, [and given that] Liverpool and Arsenal could not win here, it is massively important."
City were facing the prospect of being out of the Premier League top five come the end of the weekend, but picked up a pivotal result to strengthen their hopes of Champions League football in 2025-26.
The performance of English teams in Europe means the Premier League has received an extra fifth spot in the continent's premier club competition for next season, which leaves City in a healthy position.
But they needed a late show on Merseyside for all three points and the reaction at the end highlighted how important a victory it was.
City players and staff made their way over to the corner of the stadium where their joyous supporters were housed, taking their acclaim and being serenaded with chants for Guardiola and the departing Kevin de Bruyne.
Victory in their next game against Aston Villa, who are also chasing a top-five place, will go a long way to sealing a coveted Champions League spot.
"If you win you have character, if you don't win you don't have character - this is the motto," said Guardiola.
"What these players have done for one decade, I am so grateful for, whatever has happened - this season more than ever, in the toughest period for many reasons especially injuries.
"We were more or less stable, kept going and going for the next time. We are miles away from Liverpool and Arsenal but tonight we sleep fourth.
"It is in our hands but we have a final on Tuesday, three games at home, two away and hopefully we can achieve this big success to qualify for the Champions League."
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson said on BBC Radio 5 Live: "That is a massive win for Manchester City. Champions League football for a club of their stature is an absolute minimum."
Injuries have had a substantial impact on City this season - and the absences of Nathan Ake, Manual Akanji and John Stones have provided a chance to Manchester-born O'Reilly.
He has been deployed as an inverted left-back, often drifting into midfield, and his runs forward have contributed to City's attacking threat.
At 20 years and 29 days, O'Reilly became the fourth-youngest player to score in back-to-back Premier League appearances for City after Kelechi Iheanacho, Gabriel Jesus and Phil Foden.
"My defending and positioning while defending is definitely improving," O'Reilly told Sky Sports. "Every day I am just learning and I am grateful for that."
The left-footer has had an instant impact since being drafted into the team, having had a hand in six goals across his past six appearances for City in all competitions.
"He's not really a left-back," Guardiola told BBC Match of the Day. "I would say all of our left-backs score, Josko Gvardiol before and now Nico. He is an attacking midfielder.
"We have passes, passes and passes and then we can arrive brilliantly into that position. He has arrived from the academy and is helping us a lot. I am more than grateful. He is taking his opportunity."
Team-mate Ilkay Gundogan described O'Reilly as being "very humble and shy" and someone who "doesn't talk much".
The German midfielder added: "In terms of talent and quality, not just his size but playing in a position that isn't natural for him at left-back, he's been doing amazing in recent weeks.
"He has the technical ability and timing to arrive in the box and score crucial goals. I am very glad for him."
