Pep Guardiola explains confrontation with Brighton star after Manchester City loss

2 weeks ago 2

Pep Guardiola was involved in a heated argument with a Brighton player after his Manchester City lost on Saturday
Joao Pedro sparked a remarkable turnaround to condemn the champions to a fourth successive defeat
Erling Haaland had a confrontation with Paul van Hecke before his manager picked it up after the final whistle

Pep Guardiola has come out to clarify what transpired during his heated argument with Jan Paul van Hecke on Saturday evening.

Guardiola appeared to have strong words with the defender at the end of Manchester City's Premier League game against Brighton.

Pep Guardiola, Paul van Hecke, Brighton vs Manchester City

Brighton beat Manchester City

The Seagulls completed an impressive turnaround against the champions. Joao Pedro came off the bench to score one and assist one as Fabian Hürzeler's side cancelled out Erling Haaland's first-half opener.

Van Hecke was involved in an altercation with Haaland in stoppage time. Replays show intense shirt pulling inside the Brighton penalty area. The Premier League's website indicates that both players were booked.

Pep Guardiola vs Paul van Hecke

The incident didn't end there, with Guardiola and Van Hecke getting involved in a heated discussion after the final whistle. Speaking after the game, the Spanish manager offered a tongue-in-cheek response.

"He was strong with Erling; I said, 'When Erling then stands up to you, stay on your feet, don't go to the grass'. But he played a really good game," as quoted by Ryan Taylor.

Pep Guardiola sets new unwanted record

The defeat means that Guardiola has now lost four matches in a row for the first time in his managerial career, as captured by Opta. It follows the losses at Tottenham, Bournemouth and Sporting Lisbon.

To make matters worse, the champions play Tottenham after the international break before going to Liverpool.