Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has heaped praise on Everton boss Sean Dyche ahead of Saturday's Premier League meeting at the Etihad Stadium.
Dyche is gearing up for his 300th game as a manager and his 49th match in charge of Everton, where he has spent the last 11 months at the helm following previous spells at Watford and Burnley.
The 52-year-old currently sees his Toffees side – who were deducted 10 points earlier this season for breaching financial rules – sitting in the relegation zone, but only one point adrift of 17th-placed Luton Town.
Dyche, who will serve a touchline ban on Saturday after receiving his third yellow card of the season in last weekend's 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, has faced Guardiola more times than any other manager in his career, but he is yet to get the better of the Catalan boss having lost 16 and drawn one of his previous 17 meetings in the dugout.
Nevertheless, Guardiola admires Dyche's managerial career in England and is expecting a challenging test against his Everton side this weekend.
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Speaking about Dyche reaching the 300-game milestone at a press conference on Friday, Guardiola said: "Congratulations, it's a good milestone. We face each other many times, Burnley especially, and now his period at Goodison Park. When you achieve these numbers it's because you have been so consistent.
"I have huge respect for Sean and all he has done. The way he plays they believe in the players he has."
Guardiola was unable to explain his exceptional record against Dyche, adding: "My record against his sides in the past are irrelevant. I said when the results weren't good that our level was more than decent. We were playing good. It's quite similar all season.
The Catalan continued: "Since [I arrived at Man City], only one defeat (to Everton prior to Dyche's arrival), but the better results have come away from home. Last season we couldn't win, but we will try to do our best.
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"Continue what we have done in many years. Tomorrow at 12:30 we play a football game so be ready. Since I arrived, Everton always took results here, I don't know why. Maybe it's because they are good. We have to be ready."
Man City are set to have a fully-fit squad for the clash with Everton, although Guardiola will assess his players in training on Friday before selecting his starting lineup.
"We have a training session after (the press conference). In a few hours we will see how everyone is. We will see," said the Citizens boss.
Man City, who beat Everton 3-1 at Goodison Park at the end of December, can momentarily climb to the top of the Premier League if they claim all three points on Saturday, before current leaders Liverpool play host to Burnley a few hours later.
Oliver Thomas
