Pep Guardiola hailed Brighton and Roberto De Zerbi for their approach against Manchester City, saying the Seagulls gave them the “toughest” game possible. City looked comfortable at half-time as they led 2-0, but Brighton came out fighting in the second half and they grabbed a goal as Leandro Trossard set up a tense finish before Kevin De Bruyne’s stunner restored City’s two-goal lead and ended Brighton’s chances. Guardiola was full of praise for De Zerbi after the game and he explained how Brighton offered a unique test to his players that few opposition sides can pose.
Pep Guardiola said: “Today the game was one of the toughest ones we can face. They propose a type of game we’re not used to or few teams are used to. We don’t have men free, only Ederson, because they play man-to-man so we have to play more direct balls. The type of game we’re not used to but in general, so satisfied with the points because it’s a tricky, tricky game. Compliments absolutely to my players because I know how difficult it was. I said yesterday and the day before yesterday and at half-time how difficult it could be. But in the end, we did it.”
Brighton had more possession than City in the contest, which rarely happens to the Blues, especially at home, and Guardiola delved further into how they asked questions of his side in that dominant second-half spell.
Pep Guardiola explained: “Always Brighton have been aggressive since Graham Potter. Defensively the turns of when to do it are similar. Brighton demand a lot of things, in the last years with Graham Potter the build-up was always long ball. Roberto doesn’t do it. Because the holding midfielders are so close, they attract you, they make really well in the pockets, they make good runners and an extra pass in the final third. Not just a cross, with Trossard, March, Mac Allister, Caicedo; all of them have fantastic quality. That’s why we spoke a lot, we said today is the day to suffer. In the moments we did it. I’m a big fan, I like the way he plays. To have the ball to play. He’s the biggest example to do that. He faces a real tough schedule at Anfield, Tottenham, against us, against Nottingham they played to win three or four goals. It’s a question of time, everyone settles. I’m pretty convinced the way they play in every game, when everyone plays against them it will be like today.”
