The French defender has been way down the pecking order at City since returning from his loan spell at Marseille at the end of the 2003-04 season but has finally fought his way back into contention.
The 31-year-old did well after being given his 4th start of the season at Charlton on Sunday.
“David thought he was a million miles away from our first team during the summer and when I spoke with his agent I said he has to be patient and keep knocking away at the door," Pearce told City's website.
“He’s probably testament to how good the squad situation is here in regard to players being patient and saying to themselves, ‘I’m not in the team this week, but a lot of hard work maybe in the reserves or on the training ground might get me my chance.’
"If you think you’re a mile away from the squad at Manchester City you’ve got to roll your sleeves up and put a performance in. If you go away and sulk on the training ground, I’m not the sort of manager who says, ‘he’s sulking I’d better put him in’.
"I don’t work like that, I look at people that roll their sleeves up and work as hard as they can, like David did in the reserves against Bolton.”