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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Alex Brotherton

Pep Guardiola's response to Anfield injustice recalls Spurs Champions League heartbreak

It's fair to say Pep Guardiola enjoyed Manchester City's second goal against Liverpool on Sunday.

Ever the cool and composed manager, the City boss didn't hold back when Kevin De Bruyne's deflected effort saw City come from behind for the second time in the 2-2 draw at Anfield.

Wwhile Guardiola doesn't often celebrate goals quite so enthusiastically, he has done on occasion. Whether it's running down the touchline like a lunatic or hugging the nearest person to hand, here are Pep's best celebrations since he joined the club.

6: Chelsea, 2018

Although no evidence of this has been found anywhere on the internet, @DomFarrell1986 assures me that when Bernardo Silva put City 1-0 against Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in March 2018, Guardiola "bent over and did a big yelp."

I believe Dom entirely, but if anyone else remembers this and/or can provide proof, then please do get in touch.

[Ed. This definitely did happen, Alex, just at full-time rather than after Bernardo's goal. It was a completely bizarre noise - I've honestly not gone mad and made this up.]

5: Borussia Dortmund, 2021

Any City fan that says their heart didn't melt when they saw Pep hugging Phil Foden is lying.

Foden had just scored a screamer away at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-finals, putting City 4-2 up on aggregate to all but seal a spot in the semi-finals.

Phil Foden ran straight over to Pep Guardiola when he scored in Dortmund. (WOLFGANG RATTAY/AFP via Getty Images)

Wheeling away in celebration, he knew exactly who to thank for giving him the chance to fulfil his boyhood dreams. Pep was incredibly restrained, acting like a true father figure as he enveloped Foden in a big bear hug. Beautiful.

4: Southampton, May 2018

City had already won the league by the final game of the 2017/18 season, but an elusive 100 points total was still on the line.

For 93 minutes City had not been able to find a way through Southampton, but then with one second of additional time remaining, Gabriel Jesus latched onto a superb Kevin De Bruyne pass. He lobbed Alex McCarthy and City had done it.

Cue pandemonium in the away end, with City's players and technical staff sprinting down the pitch to celebrate. Pep bounced onto the field, pumping his first but resisted the urge to join the 1,000-strong pile-on behind the goal

3: Southampton, November 2017

Pep ran onto the pitch to celebrate Raheem Sterling's walk-off winner against Southampton. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Six months earlier, Pep wasn't quite so calm.

City had been frustrated all evening by the Saints, and were drifting towards a 1-1 draw at the Etihad. With seconds of the five added minutes remaining, Raheem Sterling lined up a shot at the edge of the penalty area.

The ball left his boot in a soaring arc, rippling the netting as the clock hit 95:00. Guardiola understandably got caught up the moment, running onto the pitch as his players charged past him on halfway before hugging then-assistant coach, Mikel Arteta.

2: Liverpool, 2021

Sunday's 2-2 with Liverpool was frustrating for Guardiola in many ways. His side had dominated the first half without scoring, then had found themselves on the receiving end of two wonder goals.

What irked Pep the most, however, was referee Paul Tierney's failure to show James Milner a second yellow card. He got away scot-free with scything down Bernardo. Guardiola was so enraged he ended up getting the booking that appeared to have Milner's name on it.

Pep was still bickering with fourth official Mike Dean when De Bruyne equalised for City. It was the perfect opportunity for the City boss to let his frustration out and scream into the Merseyside sky like a man possessed.

1: Spurs, 2019

I wish this never happened, but it did.

For all intents and purposes, Sterling had just scored an injury-time goal to send City into the Champions League semi-finals.

It had been a ridiculous game; having lost the first leg 1-0 at Tottenham, four goals in the opening eleven minutes put the aggregate score at 3-2 to the visitors. Come injury time City led 4-3 on the night, but with the aggregate score 4-4, were heading out on away goals.

Then Sterling scored and everyone lost the plot. Pep charged up and down the touchline waving his hands in the air and almost jumping into the Colin Bell Stand to join the celebrations.

We all know what happened next. VAR, no goal, Pep on his knees, City out.

Pep's best goal celebration was for a goal that didn't count - but if you could bottle his joy from the seconds before the dreaded offside lines came out, you'd be a multi-millionaire.

What is your favourite Pep Guardiola goal celebration? Follow City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.

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