LONDON • While it would be easy to feel overwhelmed by the packed fixture schedule, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has called on his players to embrace the "beautiful challenge" as they compete for an unprecedented quadruple.

No English club have won all three domestic trophies and the Champions League, but City remain the only team who can do so this season.

Pep Guardiola's men moved a step closer to a third Premier League title in four seasons on Wednesday after their 3-1 win at Everton put them 10 points clear of city rivals and second-placed Manchester United (46).

Riyad Mahrez scored the pick of the goals with a long-range stunner in between strikes from Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva.

Richarlison's goal, the first the visitors had conceded from open play since Jan 3, was of little consolation for the seventh-placed Toffees, who have now won just one of their last six league games to fall five points off the top four.

City next visit Arsenal in the league on Sunday before resuming their Champions League campaign with the first leg of their last-16 tie against Borussia Monchengladbach next Wednesday.

However, with momentum on Guardiola's side - they are on a 17-game winning streak in all competitions, 12 coming in the top flight - the rush of repeated victories is fuelling their charge.

"The schedule can get you depressed as it's too many games," the Catalan said. "The guys need rest but at the same time, it is a beautiful challenge.

"We don't look at the calendar, just the next one - Arsenal after a few days, we then travel to UCL (Uefa Champions League), then West Ham, Manchester United, Fulham, non-stop."

No team have more won successive top-flight games from the start of a calendar year than City and they have not trailed for a single minute in any of their last 16 Premier League games, a record bettered only by Arsenal (19) in the 1998-99 season.

And they are set to get even stronger.

Kevin de Bruyne returned to action off the bench at Goodison Park after a month out with a hamstring problem, while fellow midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, scorer of 11 goals in his last 12 league games, will be fit to face the Gunners after missing the clash on Merseyside.

As such, Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti believes his team had lost to the future champions.

"It's hard to say another name. At the moment, they are the best team, they have quality, power, belief. It is very difficult to compete with them," the Italian said.

With City looking irrepressible at the moment, Guardiola is even beginning to entertain the thought of four trophies but he called on his players to pull in the same direction as they head into the business end of the season.

"If we want to win titles, we're going to need the entire squad. What pleased me today was the solidarity even from the guys who didn't play," he said.

"From Benjamin (Mendy) in the stands, from John (Stones) and Alex (Oleksandr Zinchenko). Everyone is a part of this."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS