'It was tough for many reasons': Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola after victory over Brighton

By Sam Morton
Published 6th Apr 2019, 21:25 BST
Updated 7th Apr 2019, 01:42 BST
Pep Guardiola. Picture courtesy of Getty ImagesPep Guardiola. Picture courtesy of Getty Images
Pep Guardiola. Picture courtesy of Getty Images
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Brighton's 'well organised' defence made it difficult for his side in their FA Cup semi-final win.

City progressed to the final with a narrow 1-0 win thanks to an early Gabriel Jesus header, but The Seagulls settled into the game and the floodgates never opened.

Albion pushed for an equaliser in the second half and when asked if he was worried at any point, Guardiola said: "In the first 10, 15 minutes yes but after that we conceded only one shot on target.

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"It was a semi-final, Brighton are an incredible defensive team, we knew that set pieces were huge, massive. They stood tall and were well organised. We conceded too many but only one dangerous situation. We are in the final, we are there.

"It was tough for many reasons but we are happy to be in the final."

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In the game's only real contentious moment, City defender Kyle Walker escaped a red card after appearing to put his head into the face of Alireza Jahanbakhsh during a heated first half exchange.