Credit: Imago / Sport TV

Harri Burton

Mon 23 March 2026 16:00, UK

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Pep Guardiola didn’t deserve to be punished for celebrating Nico O’Reilly’s second goal in Manchester City‘s win over Arsenal.

That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that Peter Bankes should have “ignored” the Man City boss on Sunday, 22 March, rather than cautioning him.

O’Reilly completely stole the show at Wembley Stadium, taking advantage of a Kepa Arrizabalaga mistake to head home his first before stealing in at the back post to secure the trophy.

Man City still need to face Arsenal in the all-but-decided Premier League title race, and Guardiola will be hoping for more joy when the two sides face off at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola booked for celebrating vs Man City

The Man City boss went charging down the touchline after O’Reilly’s second goal, before returning to his technical area and being greeted with a yellow card from the referee.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the celebrations, the former referee said: “The only time a manager should be punished is if the action is creating a crowd-surge forward, but there was none of that. 

“What are we trying to do to the game? I don’t think Guardiola has had his best couple of years. You’re at Wembley. You’ve got to deliver the passion.

“He’s had the courage to put in a youngster, a Mancunian, who has delivered… Is there anything better in football? Don’t take away the passion. 

“These guys eat, sleep, breathe football. Yes, they get paid highly for it, but he’s a passionate man. Yes, the laws state he must stay in the technical area.

“I don’t know. He’s not going down the touchline to abuse anybody. He’s celebrating a young lad putting the ball in the back of the net. I love it. The match officials should have ignored it.”

What did the Man City boss say about his own celebrations?

Guardiola was more than happy to take his yellow card from Bankes, even suggesting that he would take a sending off if it meant being able to celebrate with the Man City fans.

Speaking after the game, he said, “Afterwards, I got a yellow card. As a football manager, if I cannot express my emotions, what sense? We are not artificial intelligence people.

“If you score a goal in a final against this team, I can’t celebrate with our own fans? It’s okay, maybe even a red card, but I want to celebrate it.”

He will remain suspended for the FA Cup quarter-final clash with Liverpool on Saturday, 4 April, with Pep Lijnders already taking charge for Man City’s 1-1 draw against West Ham.