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Guardiola responded to Nunes’s composed winner by launching into a frenzied fist-pumping dance of joy, including a primal roar that underlined the significance of the result.
Pep Guardiola burst into animated celebrations after Nunes’ winner (X)
Pep Guardiola admitted his wild celebration of Matheus Nunes’s stoppage-time winner against Aston Villa felt strange because Manchester City don’t score as many late goals as their Premier League rivals Liverpool.
Nunes fired City to a crucial 2-1 victory over top-five rivals Villa in the fourth minute of stoppage-time at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
Guardiola responded to Nunes’s composed finish from an acute angle by launching into a frenzied fist-pumping dance of joy, including a primal roar that underlined the significance of the result.
City had been seconds away from a damaging result in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish.
But now they control their own fate with four games left in their turbulent league season, thanks to an unusual feeling of last-gasp success.
“We’re not used to it. That belongs to Liverpool especially, how many times did they score late winners under Jurgen (Klopp) and Arsenal under Mikel (Arteta) as well? I’m not used to it, so I’m really, really happy,” Guardiola said.
“Football is emotion. For the fans, players, we have a lot of pressure for the club to go to the Champions League.
“The players behave unbelievably. We are so pleased. We’re in the last four games, and we’re a Champions League contender for qualification.”
Nunes’s first league goal for City came after Aston Villa striker Marcus Rashford converted a controversial penalty to cancel out Bernardo Silva’s early opener.
Guardiola was booked for ranting at the fourth official after VAR intervened to call for a penalty after Ruben Dias made contact with Jacob Ramsey.
But, with time running out, City enjoyed a rare uplifting moment in a difficult campaign that will see them surrender the title they had won in the previous four seasons.
‘The season has been bad’
Guardiola will be happy with a top-five berth in the circumstances this term.
“Aston Villa is a team to the last man, one of the top teams in Europe. But we played really good. We were aggressive in our duels, the back four was unbelievable,” he said.
“Football, if you’re in this business to live with the disappointment. The performance was really good, and we were able to do it.
“The season has been bad. The reality is that what makes you feel good is the Premier League.”
Seventh-placed Villa are now two points adrift of the top five with four games left.
It was a bitter blow after their agonising Champions League quarter-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain last week.”
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)
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