Pep hails 'incredible effort' from Ake | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola praised the performance of Nathan Ake and says he was taken off late in the 1-1 draw with Everton due to fatigue.

The Netherlands international returned to the starting line-up for the first time since the win over Nottingham Forest at the beginning of December.

City were without eight senior first-team players for our Boxing Day clash, including centre-backs John Stones and Ruben Dias through illness and injury.

Guardiola hailed the desire of Ake to return so quickly after a hamstring injury and was substituted with five minutes remaining with a view to a busy New Year schedule.

“Nathan made an incredible effort,” the boss said. “Thank you so much for the effort he has done.

“He needs a little more but for the circumstances we have, he made an effort. I said when you feel fatigue, let us know.”

Kyle Walker and Jack Grealish were also missing after playing in the defeat at Aston Villa along with Ederson and Matheus Nunes as well as long-term absentees Rodri and Oscar Bobb.

On the latest players missing, Guardiola said: “Kyle was flu, a virus and Jack yesterday in training felt something muscular – a similar reason to why Ederson doesn't feel good.”

WATCH: Man City 1-1 Everton - Premier League - Pep Post Match Press Conference

As well as a lengthening unavailability list, it was another frustrating afternoon for his side as we were held to a draw by a stubborn Everton side.

Bernardo Silva put us ahead in the first half, before Iliman Ndiaye equalised and we couldn’t find a winner with Jordan Pickford saving an Erling Haaland penalty.

“We shot I don't know how many shots,” Guardiola said. “The first half was brilliant and the first 10 or 15 minutes of the second half was really good.

“The first time they arrived they scored a goal. At the end, there were transitions and we controlled to avoid the defeat but we analyse the result because we are not happy.

“The performance and the way the guys have done in the situation were brilliant.

“We didn’t score the goals we need but there are games where I don’t like what I see: today that was not the case.”