Pep Guardiola has rejected Wayne Rooney’s criticism of Manchester City’s celebrations following their 2-1 win over Arsenal, describing the suggestion that they over-celebrated as “stupid” and stating that his players were justified in their reaction to the result.

The victory at the Etihad Stadium reduced the points gap between City and league leaders Arsenal, intensifying the Premier League title race and giving City the opportunity to move top with their next match against Burnley. The importance of the fixture, in competitive terms, was reflected in the extended post-match reactions of both players and supporters.

Wayne Rooney, working as a television pundit, stated that City’s celebrations “were a bit over the top,” arguing that such scenes were excessive given that the season is not yet concluded. Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy supported this assessment, saying the atmosphere “felt a bit much” for a regular league victory, even one with significant implications for the title race.

Guardiola defended his players and the club’s supporters, framing the celebrations as a rational response to the competitive context. He highlighted the pressure associated with facing a direct title rival and suggested that failure to win could have had a decisive negative impact on City’s championship prospects.

Guardiola stated that critics could say “whatever stupid things they want to say,” and argued that the players celebrated because they understood the strength of the opponent and the potential consequences of not winning. He maintained that, given the stakes, it was logical for the team to mark the result in a visible way, while still respecting the opposition and their fans.

Post-match activities included players engaging with supporters around the stadium and conducting a lap of honour, which Guardiola described as a standard practice after home fixtures. Supporters also displayed a banner referencing pressure on Arsenal at the top of the table.

Rooney suggested that the level of celebration could “come back to bite them,” implying it might increase Arsenal’s motivation or create a perception of complacency around City. Guardiola dismissed this interpretation and argued that experiencing and expressing joy after high-pressure wins is an integral component of elite competition.

He questioned the idea of delaying celebrations until the end of the season, stating that he instructs his players to acknowledge and enjoy every victory with their fans. Guardiola framed this approach as a logical way to manage the emotional demands of a long campaign, particularly when individual matches carry what he described as “final”-level importance for his team’s title ambitions.