Pep Guardiola Appears to Kiss Fourth Official as Manchester City Drop Points Against Arsenal (WATCH)

Pep Guardiola created a viral moment by appearing to kiss fourth official Craig Pawson during Manchester City's match against Arsenal. 

Pep Guardiola delivered one of the most unusual touchline moments of the Premier League season during Manchester City’s clash with Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday.

In a bizarre scene captured by television cameras, the City boss leaned in towards fourth official Craig Pawson and appeared to plant a kiss on his cheek. The 54-year-old grabbed Pawson’s face before moving in, prompting the official to flinch slightly. The footage quickly went viral across social media, sparking a wave of disbelief and tongue-in-cheek reactions from fans, many asking if Guardiola was “trying to kiss the ref.”

The odd exchange came just minutes before City’s night took a twist. Having led since the ninth minute thanks to Erling Haaland’s composed strike past David Raya at the end of a flowing counter-attack, Guardiola’s team looked poised for an important away win. But in stoppage time, substitute Gabriel Martinelli latched onto Eberechi Eze’s defence-splitting pass and coolly dinked his finish over Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 93rd minute, sending the Emirates into raptures.

Arsenal’s tactical shift changes the game

Mikel Arteta, who started with a midfield trio of Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino, saw his side struggle to create clear openings before the break. However, halftime changes swung momentum his way. The introduction of Eze and Bukayo Saka injected energy and urgency, allowing Arsenal to pile pressure on City throughout the second half.

Despite shifting into a back five late in the game to protect their narrow advantage, Guardiola’s men couldn’t weather the storm. While they continued to look dangerous on the break through Jeremy Doku, their failure to kill the game ultimately proved costly.

Big picture in the title race

Martinelli’s dramatic equaliser not only extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run against Guardiola to five matches in all competitions but also altered the top-of-the-table picture. Liverpool’s victory elsewhere means they now open up a five-point lead at the summit. Arsenal climb back into second spot with 10 points from five games, while City slip to ninth on just seven points, far from their usual early-season standards.