- Man City beat Arsenal 2-1 on Sunday
- The win moves them to within three points of the Gunners
- Guardiola has defended his players’ celebrations
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has defended his side’s celebrations after last Sunday’s 2-1 victory against Arsenal moved them to within touching distance of the league leaders.
Goals from Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland were enough for the hosts to claim all three points, despite an uncharacteristic error from Gianluigi Donnarumma gifting the Gunners an equaliser.
The win means City now trail Arsenal by just three points in the Premier League title race, and will move ahead of their rivals if they beat Burnley on Wednesday night.
There were jubilant celebrations at full-time from the Carabao Cup winners, which has drawn some criticism. However, Guardiola has robustly defended his players in response.
Pep Guardiola defends Manchester City celebrations
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s trip to Burnley, Guardiola said his players should ‘celebrate however they want’.
The Catalan coach told BBC Match of the Day that the importance of the game meant such an emotional reaction was natural, and not something to criticise.
Guardiola said: “People can say whatever, stupid things. We know the value of the opponent, we know if we don’t win, we are bye-bye! If we win, we are still there. How can we not celebrate?
"People can say whatever stupid things they want to say" 🤷♂️
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) April 21, 2026
Pep Guardiola says his players can "celebrate however you want" in response to some criticism of their full time celebrations against Arsenal. pic.twitter.com/IEiGmZYEpz
“As much as you respect the opponent, fans of the opponent, celebrate whatever you want. I have to wait until the end of the season to celebrate? Come on!”
“Every single game, go to our fans and enjoy. What sense? You have to celebrate just once if you win, and if you don’t, you have to cry all the time? Come on.”
City win against Arsenal was ‘like a final’
With the title race so close, City knew they could not afford anything but a win against Arsenal, something Guardiola was keen to stress.
He continued: “Everybody knew that game was a final, especially for us. For them, not much, but for us it was a final. Of course you have to celebrate it!”
The manager wasn’t alone in how he labelled last weekend’s table-top clash, with Erling Haaland also describing the match as a ‘final’.
Man City are now title favourites
There is still plenty of football to be played between now and the end of the season, but City have put themselves in control of their own destiny once more.
They have now overtaken Arsenal as odds-on favourites for the title with most bookmakers, and will almost certainly lift the trophy if they win their remaining games.
City’s form, combined with Arsenal’s recent wobble, has seen a nine-point gap evaporate, and put the Carabao Cup winners in an ideal position to surge to what was at one stage a seemingly impossible title.
