FA CUP: Quick-start Gabriel Jesus heads below-par City into the final
KEIR RADNEDGE REPORTS: Manchester City kept their quadruple dream alive by defeating Brighton 1-0 in their FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
The Premier League and Champions League contenders and League Cup holders were far from convincing, however, despite having been provided with a perfect start of a third-minute goal by Gabriel Jesus.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was satisfied with the result and again, after the game, had to try to play down the issue of the four possible trophies.
He said: “For the first 10 or 15 minutes in the second half I was worried but after that No. Brighton were well organised but it was tough for many reasons but we are happy to be in the final.
“It’s almost impossible to win the quadruple so put that in the headlines, guys. Even surviving to this stage in all the competitions is a miracle.
“It was incredible what these players did last season. The year after you have a tendency to be a little more arrogant but still we are there. It’s incredible what these players have done so far and we are willing to try every game until the end.”
City appeared to take their foot off the gas after Jesus’s goal and then found it difficult to reimpose their authority against a tenacious Brighton team seeking a place in the final for only the second time in their club’s history.
Indeed Brighton, through a narrowly off-target effort from Anthony Knockaert, came closer than City to a further goal before the interval.
City may have been fortunate to reach half-time with all 11 players on the pitch. Kyle Walker was shown only yellow by referee Anthony Taylor after a head-to-head confrontation with Alireza Jahanbakhsh. VAR was generous in confirming Taylor’s opinion.
This may have played a role in City manager Pep Guardiola’s decision to replace Walker at half-time with Danilo though he insisted it was only because of a back injury.
Brighton went close again in a goalmouth scramble early in the second half before City made possession a priority and started to raise their game.
Ilkay Gundogan had one shot easily saved by keeper Mat Ryan who then dived acrobatically to his right to deny Raheem Sterling who had now crossed over from his initial slot on the left wing.
Sterling might have scored on a rapid counter-attack in stoppage time but a two-goal victory would have been undeserved; as it was, City barely deserved to manage progress to their first final since 2013 with that single, early goal. Hopefully Watford and Wolves, in the second semi-final on Sunday, can provide rather more footballing satisfaction.
As for Brighton, they must cone back down to the earth and the effort to avoid relegation from the Premier League.
Manager Chris Hughton, who thought Walker lucky to escape a red card, said: “To run such a brilliant side as City so close takes a big effort but the level we reached today is something we need to bring to our forthcoming games.
“It’s been a wonderful journey but the Premier League is more important for us and on Monday morning we need our Premier League heads back on because we have a fight on our hands and need to get results as quickly as possible.”
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