City won the match 3-1 at home at the City of Manchester stadium.
Pearce said: “Bernardo wants to work hard and he cannot understand why he gets a day off in the week.
“When I give him a day off he comes in and works. I am pleased he has got his reward for working hard.
“We have created a lot of chances over the last few weeks and not put them away and today we could have had five or six. It’s a shame we conceded one.”
