After Manchester City's hopes of winning the Premier League title were ended by a defeat to Manchester United six days ago, Pearce believes they will be even more focused on lifting the FA Cup to satisfy the demand for major silverware of their owner Sheikh Mansour, who has spent more than £300m of his vast wealth on the Blues' star-studded squad.
Tevez was not even in the City squad when Notts County so nearly beat them in the fourth round of the competition at Meadow Lane.
In the conspicuous absence of the Argentina international, it fell to Edin Dzeko to save the world's richest club with a late equalising goal after Neal Bishop had put the Magpies ahead with a glorious header.
After surviving a significant scare, Pearce fully expects City to name a stronger team in the replay at Eastlands on Sunday and that Tevez will lead their attack.
He relishes playing against him and rather audaciously believes Notts can end City's season.
"It's definitely going to be an exciting game to play in, maybe even more exciting than the first one, so we're all looking forward to it," said Pearce.
"I think Tevez will be playing this time, so it will be a good test for me because he's one of the best strikers in the world.
"Every team that enters the FA Cup wants to win it and for a club like Manchester City it is achievable, so it's a big game for them.
"We can beat them. Our chance has not gone because we didn't do it at Meadow Lane.
"If we thought like that there would be no point playing the replay."
Pearce's confidence is such that he hopes Mario Balotelli is fit.
He might get his unusual wish, too, because City manager Roberto Mancini has said the temperamental Italian striker, who cost £24m, could start the tie after making his return from a knee injury against Aris Thessaloniki in the Europa League on Tuesday night.
"I was hoping to play against super Mario, but if he's not fit, he's not fit. If he's on the substitutes' bench, hopefully he will come on. They might need him," said Pearce, with a smile.
Notts will certainly need Pearce. The 21-year-old former England youth international has been a revelation for the Magpies this season and, only seven months after signing a one-year deal at Meadow Lane, has been rewarded with a contract until 2013.
With his long-term future with the League Two champions now secure, Pearce believes he will further flourish.
"Every player wants a bit of security and I have got that now, so hopefully I can kick on from here," he said. "I can focus purely on football, to try to keep improving. It does make a difference
Pearce believes becoming an established figure in the heart of the Magpies defence is also making a huge difference to his performances.
"I have started the last 11 games, and that has helped me grow in confidence," he said. "I think my performances are showing that.
"I think I am playing better than I was earlier in the season, but I have to stay on my toes and playing well because it could all change very quickly."
He has credited the tuition of Magpies' first-term coach David Farrell as a key factor in his fine form.
"His expertise is working with the defence so he's helped me a lot since he came in," he said. "I think it is mainly down to him that I have been playing well.
"We spend a lot of time looking at specific areas of my game and pinpointing aspects of it that I need to improve and I have not had focused attention like that before in my career. I'm reaping the rewards of it now."
It is just over a year since Pearce, who has played for England in two European Championships and a World Cup at youth international level, was released by his home-town club Birmingham City after ten years at St Andrews.
Having impressed at youth and reserves level, he never made his senior debut for the Blues.
Despite having to drop down to League One to join Notts, he has not given up hope of one day playing in the Premier League.
"Every player wants to push on and play as high as possible, so I am really driven to improve in every way I can," he said.
Magpies' boss Paul Ince believes Pearce has the talent to play on the biggest stage.
"He's mentioned it to me before, and a few of the managers I have worked with in my career have said the same thing. Craig Short said it too, and he played at the highest level," he said.
"Ability will only get me so far, though. I will have to work very hard to achieve anything in my career and that is what I aim to do.
"It's positive and flattering that people believe I have a lot of potential and I take a lot of pride from it.
"Hopefully, I can fulfil my potential one day and play at the top."
He will get the opportunity to against City, for 90 minutes at least.
Man City’s Dzeko reminds McClaren of Viduka
Manchester City recruit Edin Dzeko reminds his former Wolfsburg manager Steve McClaren of Australian striker Mark Viduka.
Dzeko has struggled in his first few games with City but McClaren has urged fans to be patient as the Bosnian has plenty of scope to improve and adapt before he starts to bang in goals like he did in Germany.
And McClaren also picked out his former Middlesbrough player Viduka as a player Dzeko is very much like.
"City have got an excellent bargain in Edin," said McClaren.
"People might say it was £27m, but look at the facts. Just a couple of weeks later, Andy Carroll went for £35m. So maybe it wasn’t such bad business after all.
"He’s very good technically and has very good feet. In some ways he reminds me of a much taller Mark Viduka. Mark was so brilliant in the box and for such a big guy he had amazing technical skills. Edin is very much the same.
"Given that Edin is a lot taller than Mark, I reckon that his physical presence will be a lot more telling in the Premier League.”
McClaren also said that Dzeko may take until next season to really settle and that City fans may have to wait before they see his best.
"I think maybe - and I hope for Roberto Mancini’s sake that it will be this season - it may be that you see the best of Edin Dzeko next season,” he added.
“I think that Edin, once he learns to settle in England and adapts to the English system, will be a major force, certainly amongst the strikers. He has all the attributes to be a hit in England.”
WHERES WALLY BOLLOX
Rooney and Kaká join Manchester City – but that's not official• Aris Thessaloniki embarrassed at spoof picture in programme
• Greek club pulp publication after City point out error
Wine glasses were clinked, bread was broken and palms squeezed. It was an opportunity for new contacts and new friendships as dignitaries from Manchester City and Aris Thessaloniki settled down for a pre-match function ahead of Tuesday's Europa League tie in Greece.
Then an Aris official offered Garry Cook a sneak preview of the match programme and it was then, as City's chief executive did a double-take, that it became apparent something was wrong.
Instead of using the official City team photograph the Greek club used a doctored version, with another five rows added to make room for just about every superstar footballer on the planet. Wayne Rooney, Kaká and Zlatan Ibrahimovic could all be seen, resplendent in blue. Lionel Messi, Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba and Mesut Ozil were also to be found. It was a 60-man squad, more in keeping with the album cover for The Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The City delegation made it clear to their hosts they could see the funny side. But the Aris directors were so embarrassed they decided on the spot that the programme had to be pulped, regardless of the costs.
Aris have since explained that the editorial team, searching the internet for a photograph of the City squad, had instead located a 'Where's Wally?' spoof picture which first appeared as a Gallery entry on the Guardian's website and did not realise the difference. 'Wally' can be found between Joe Hart and James Milner – just in front of Ibrahimovic. The programme in question is now on the way to becoming a collector's item, with a handful getting into circulation before the message got out. One has already been made available on eBay – for £35.
Manchester City physio Jamie Murphy leaves after rumoured bust-up with Roberto Mancini
Manchester City’s head of physiotherapy Jamie Murphy has left Eastlands by mutual agreement, the club confirmed.
Former footballer Murphy, 37, was appointed when Mark Hughes was manager.
However there has been talk of a rift with current boss Roberto Mancini, stretching back to earlier in the campaign, over City’s injury list and that he was being downgraded.
Fall out: But Manchester City have denied any ill will between Mancini and Murphy
But the club stated in a statement that at no time was Murphy demoted nor did he work at any time or in any capacity in the Academy.
'We would like to thank Jamie for all his hard work and endeavour during his time at the football club and wish him every success in his future career,' the club said.
'The club can confirm that at no time was Jamie Murphy demoted nor did he at any time or in any capacity work in the Academy.'
WAG OF THE DAY
OTHER BOLLOX
Tottenham are prepared to offer £15m to bring Ipswich's 17-year-old striker Connor Wickham to White Hart Lane.Daily Mirror
Meanwhile, Ipswich manager Paul Jewell has his own sights set on a loan deal for Aston Villa's 33-year-old defender Habib Beye. Daily Mirror
Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies wants to sign Portsmouth's 34-year-old midfielder Michael Brown as he seeks to strengthen his squad. Daily Mirror
Newcastle's 28-year-old midfielder Joey Barton could leave the club if five top players are not brought in this summer. Metro
And Barton's Newcastle colleague, the 25-year-old defender Jose Enrique, admits he is flattered by the attentions Liverpool are apparently paying him. Daily Mirror
Striker Michael Owen, 31, may have played his last game for Manchester United after suffering a groin injury in training that could keep him out for three months. Metro
Newcastle received £30m cash for striker Andy Carroll from Liverpool and the North East club would get 25 per cent of any further fee should the Reds sell the player on. Daily Mirror
Bristol City's 40-year-old goalkeeper David James, who last played for England at the 2010 World Cup, still hopes to get an international recall from manager Fabio Capello. Daily Mirror
Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny spent the day with his mother after his club's 2-1 win over Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday. "Trying to calm down," he Tweeted. Metro
