Pep Guardiola has praised Arsenal's Declan Rice for his defiant response to Manchester City's 2-1 victory over the Gunners, saying he 'loves' the midfielder's insistence that the Premier League title race remains alive. Rice was captured on video telling his Arsenal teammates 'it's not done' despite the defeat at the Etihad Stadium, a moment that Guardiola highlighted as evidence of Arsenal's competitive mentality.

City's win was a significant statement in the title tussle, allowing them to potentially move top of the table on goal difference with a victory over Burnley. Guardiola noted that Rice's reaction exemplifies why Arsenal have been such strong contenders this season, remaining unbeaten in the Champions League and maintaining their Premier League challenge. The City manager emphasized that such resilience from opponents sets the standard for what his team will face in the remaining fixtures.

The exchange comes amid other talking points from the match, including Erling Haaland avoiding punishment for an incident with Gabriel, and Guardiola's comments on goal difference's importance in the title race. With both teams locked in a tight battle, Guardiola stressed that winning games remains the priority over chasing large margins of victory.