Pep Guardiola on van Hecke confrontation after Man City loss

The loss marked an unprecedented fourth consecutive defeat for Guardiola, as City remain two points behind league leaders Liverpool, who play Aston Villa on Saturday night.

City initially looked strong with Haaland opening the scoring in the first half, but Albion responded in the second half.

Substitute Joao Pedro levelled the game with just 12 minutes remaining, and 23-year-old Matt O’Riley scored his Premier League debut goal to seal Albion's victory.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (Image: Adam Davy) Tensions peaked in injury time when Haaland and Van Hecke clashed in Brighton's penalty area.

The confrontation resulted in both players receiving bookings, and Guardiola, visibly animated, sought out Van Hecke post-match for a discussion on the pitch.

When questioned about the exchange, Guardiola revealed his criticism of Van Hecke’s response to the tussle with Haaland. “He was strong with Erling all game, then after the challenge, he went to ground.

Erling Haaland and Jan Paul van Hecke were both booked for their clash in injury time (Image: Reuters)

"I told him, ‘You have to stay strong, don’t go to the grass.’ But credit to him – he played a solid game,” Guardiola shared.

The Manchester City manager also pointed to his squad’s mounting injury issues as a factor in their recent struggles, admitting, “We simply don’t have the players right now.

"All four of my central defenders are out with injuries.

Albion fans celebrate at full time (Image: Simon Dack) Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola (left) and Brighton and Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler "Key players like Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Doku, and Jack Grealish are also unavailable.”

While City’s injury woes continue to limit options, Guardiola refrained from making excuses for the loss, adding, “We’re still playing well, but the consistency is difficult without a full squad. We’ll have to push through.”

Albion’s victory sees them gain confidence as they hold their own against top-flight opposition, while City face the challenge of bouncing back with a depleted roster in the coming fixtures.

Albion boss Fabian Huerzeler reflected on a fairy tale moment for his goalscoring substitutes as they made comebacks from periods out injured.

“I’m happy for Joao and Matt that they came back after a long time with this impact, they worked hard in rehab, they didn’t have an easy time,” he said.

“In life you get what you deserve, what you work for. Matt is a player with a positive mindset during injury, after surgery he came to the training ground and showed his personality.”