Pep Guardiola’s Cheeky Gesture: Affectionate Kiss on Fourth Official After Heated Exchange

Pep Guardiola injected a bit of humor into Manchester City’s 1-1 encounter with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, capturing a unique moment with fourth official Craig Pawson.

The match saw City take the lead early on, courtesy of Erling Haaland’s strike in the ninth minute, positioning them for a win until Arsenal’s late equalizer changed the game.

As the game neared its conclusion, Guardiola engaged in a spirited interaction with Pawson on the sideline.

Rather than letting the situation escalate, Guardiola surprised everyone by leaning in to give Pawson a playful kiss on the cheek. The official, taken aback but amused, stepped back with a smile before returning to his role, as Guardiola laughed, hands on hips, clearly enjoying the lighthearted moment.

Guardiola’s grin didn’t last long, however. Moments later, after Pawson signalled seven minutes of injury time, City conceded deep into stoppage time. Gabriel Martinelli rescued a point for Arsenal, superbly chipping Gianluigi Donnarumma to cancel out Haaland’s opener.

The result means Arsenal remain unbeaten in their last five Premier League meetings with City.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Guardiola praised his side’s resilience.

“Today we played against a powerful team,” he said. “Hats off to our team for the resilience. It’s so difficult when you’re not effective with high pressing, it’s always tough in the build-up. We made some transitions. I think the result is fair. In general, Arsenal were better.”

No mention of the kiss, though. Poor Craig Pawson.