And after much negative publicity resulting from Ben Thatcher's horror challenge on Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes in midweek, Pearce was thrilled with his side's application.
"I'm more pleased for the players," he said. "To keep your focus after the way the spotlight has fallen on us this week has not been easy. Playing Arsenal with all the non-football related attention around has been difficult for them.
"Credit to them, they kept their focus, they did to a man what we asked of them. We rode our luck at times, individually some of their players are better than ours, but unless you work as a collective, you won't beat Arsenal - simple as that."
The 3 points were a huge confidence booster for City after taking just 1 point from their opening 2 games, but having drawn 0-0 with Portsmouth, City have now gone 2 games without conceding.
"Without a doubt that (City's defensive effort) was what won us the game," added Pearce. "In the last 2 games I have asked Paul Dickov to do a defensive job, he's done that as well as his attacking role.
"If the players take on board what we prepare for them ahead of a match - and I think we are arguably one the best prepared teams in the league - if they do that, we will have more wins like this one.
"I've already got the buy-in for that from the likes of Dickov, and if some of the new players get that as well, they will see the results at the end of it."