Everton ace Gerard Deulofeu has heaped praise on former manager Pep Guardiola ahead of this weekend's meeting with Manchester City.

The Barcelona academy product, who joined the Toffees on a permanent deal last summer, was handed his Camp Nou debut under Guardiola as an 18-year-old in 2011.

Deulofeu was unable to truly make the breakthrough at Barcelona and is now making waves in the Premier League but, on the eve of Saturday's clash with Guardiola's new side, the winger admits that Everton will have to be at their very best to return from the Etihad Stadium with a positive result.

"Every year, he played the same in Barcelona, Bayern Munich and now Manchester City," Deulofeu told Everton's official website. "It's an amazing style and if you have specific players, the players you want, that style is the best. We know we go to an amazing pitch and difficult stadium but I think we can take the three points because we have a good, strong team.

"I'm confident. I have good memories because I stayed a long time in my career at Barcelona and Pep gave me my debut in the first division. He is a big manager but this weekend we need to take three points from him. When I had the chance to train with Guardiola, I was 17 or 18 years old.

"[Pep] would show me some actions and movements in defence because when I was 17 or 18 I would always think about attack. I was lucky to train with the best players in the world [at Barcelona]. They are good memories but now this moment is about Everton. It's three, four, five years ago - it's my past and now I need to think about my present and future."

Deulofeu has appeared five times for Everton in the Premier League this season, but has yet to register a single goal or assist for his side.