Pep Guardiola pushed back sharply at Wayne Rooney after the former striker questioned the tone of Manchester City’s celebrations following their win over Arsenal. The victory prompted exuberant scenes at the Etihad: Erling Haaland emerged from the pitch topless with his man bun visible and sang to a camera, while goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma leapt into the stands.

Rooney, a five-time Premier League champion with Manchester United and appearing as a pundit on BBC’s Match of the Day, called the scenes “a bit over the top.” He added: “It’s six games to go for City,” he argued, “it’s obviously a big win. I just think it’s a little bit premature and it might come back to bite them.”

Rooney also rated Arsenal marginally higher as the run-in continued. “It is obviously going to be tight but City have got one more game to try to win, so I still have Arsenal down as slight favorites,” he said. On the pressure of a title chase, Rooney warned: “I’ve been in this situation myself, where you need to win all your games for the title. You look at your games and you think well we should win this one, or that one, but it never pans out that way. From now until the end of the season it is just going to be down to which team keeps their composure the best—that’s who will win it.”

Guardiola responded with evident irritation, rejecting the notion that his players had been disrespectful or complacent. “When they celebrated, people can say whatever—stupid things they want to say—they celebrated because they know the value of the opponent,” he said. “They [City ’s players] knew if we didn’t win it would be ‘bye bye.’ They won and still we are there. How can they not celebrate it? As much as you respect the opponent and the fans of the opponent, celebrate however you want.”

He continued: “Wait until the end of the season to celebrate? Come on,” Guardiola added, an obvious sense of exasperation now in his voice. “I said to them, ‘Every single game go to our fans and enjoy the moment.’ What sense is there not to live it? You have to celebrate just once if you win? And if you don’t win you cry all the time? Come on.

“Everybody knew that game. It was a final. Especially for us. Maybe not for them but for us it was a final and of course you have to celebrate it.”

Gameweek 33 delivered decisive swings at both ends of the table and several standout individual displays. FotMob’s ratings identify nine players who shaped the round across a series of key matches.

Curtis Jones (rating 8.4) was deployed at right back by Arne Slot in the Merseyside derby and responded with a dominant defensive and possession performance. Jones recorded 28 defensive contributions, more than double any other player on the pitch, while also leading the match for touches (118), attempted passes (84) and completed passes (79). He emerged from his duel with Iliman Ndiaye unscathed.

Erling Haaland (8.4) produced the goal that pulled Manchester City back into the title race. The Norway forward played the full game despite heavy attention from Arsenal defenders William Saliba and Gabriel, endured his undershirt being ripped and an attempted headbutt, and finished with a memorable smirk at the camera after the final whistle.

Jaydee Canvot (8.4) has taken on greater responsibility since Marc Guéhi’s mid-season exit and impressed again in Crystal Palace’s draw with West Ham United. Canvot frequently won his confrontations with Jarrod Bowen and showed notable composure on the ball, repeatedly stepping into midfield to drive his team forward.

Leeds United produced three of the week’s top performers. Noah Okafor (8.5), 25 years old, forced an early advantage by assisting Leeds’ opener and then scoring the second inside the opening 20 minutes. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (8.6) sealed the win with a 95th-minute penalty after a game in which he was disruptive both on the ground and in the air and likely had earlier chances to score. James Justin (8.7) opened the scoring with an acrobatic overhead kick and combined attacking impact with a team-leading 17 defensive contributions.

Xavi Simons (8.7) stood out in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2–2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, leaving the match with a goal and an assist, celebrating his stunning strike with real emotion before the late equaliser.

Elsewhere the round brought relegation heartbreak for Tottenham Hotspur and confirmation of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ tumble out of the top flight, emphasising the high stakes of Gameweek 33.

Manchester City left the Etihad with a valuable 2-1 victory over Arsenal but also with a concern: Rodri exited late with a groin problem. Guardiola confirmed after the game that the midfielder had sustained a groin injury, raising questions about his availability for the busy schedule ahead.

The Spaniard remains on a careful path back from a long-term knee problem. It was against Arsenal at the Etihad last season where the Ballon d’Or winner 2024 tore his ACL, a setback that derailed City’s bid for a fifth consecutive league title. Rodri recovered from that knee injury almost a year ago but has battled niggles through the first half of the 2025–26 season and has not yet fully returned to his pre-injury peak.

Still, he produced a significant contribution in the Etihad victory: a team-high 11 defensive contributions and the second-most duels won (nine). His presence in the box also unsettled the Arsenal defence during the sequence that led to Erling Haaland’s winner. He was unable to finish the match and was replaced by Nico González in the closing stages.

“We’ll see,” was the message the City boss received from his medical team before any further scans could be conducted, a response that leaves Rodri’s participation for the trip to Turf Moor in doubt. The quick turnaround after Sunday’s hard-fought win means there is a strong chance he does not play midweek even if the groin issue proves minor.

City can move to the top of the table for the first time since August with victory at Turf Moor, and Guardiola also has an FA Cup semi-final against Championship Southampton to manage in the coming period. Burnley are as good as down, having won just one league game since October, and the current momentum suggests City can prevail regardless of who partners Bernardo Silva in midfield.

Nico González’s late appearance was his first Premier League outing since February. The January signing impressed in the autumn and offers a steady option should Rodri be sidelined.