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Declan Rice went viral for his gesture after the full-time whistle at Etihad when Manchester City beat Arsenal, leaving the Gunners just three points ahead of the Sky Blues. The English player, captured on the cameras, was rallying his teammates on the pitch, insisting the title fight was not over. He was recorded saying, “It's not over yet,” while Erling Haaland was seen making smiley faces after the victory.
Meanwhile, City manager Pep Guardiola responded to the viral gesture of Rice, who believes that the Gunners can still win the title despite the loss. Guardiola has lauded Arsenal midfielder for his composed and defiant reaction.
Man City boss Guardiola lauds Arsenal’s Declan Rice for strong mentality
Guardiola, speaking in an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, revealed that he was impressed wirth Rice. He said:
The City boss highlighted Rice's leadership as emblematic of Arsenal's competitive spirit, noting it demonstrates the midfielder's importance to Mikel Arteta's side. He added:
"I saw it [on Monday], and it shows what Declan Rice means.”
The City manager added that Arsenal's resilience, evident in past Premier League encounters and Carabao Cup clashes, stems from players who "follow the message" and remain strong in difficult moments, even as both teams head into the final stretch of the season with Arsenal having five games left.
Guardiola stated that Rice's attitude serves as a reminder to his own squad of the challenge ahead, rejecting any notion that City's victory had ended the race. Arsenal remain unbeaten in the Champions League and are pushing strongly in the domestic title hunt, underscoring the intensity of this season's competition.
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