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Manchester City maintain quadruple hope after beating Brighton in FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday.
Gabriel Jesus kept Manchester City's quadruple dream alive as his early header saw them past Brighton 1-0 at Wembley and into the FA Cup final.
The Brazilian netted the only goal of Saturday's semi-final to keep City on track for an unprecedented trophy haul. Pep Guardiola's side have already won the Carabao Cup this season, and are still in the hunt for the Premier League and Champions League.
It could have got ugly for Brighton - who were chasing a first win in five attempts at Wembley - after falling behind so early on. But Chris Hughton's side were full of fight in their first appearance at this stage of the competition since 1983. They will head back to the south coast feeling plenty of pride in their performance, and can now turn their full attention to survival in the top flight.
Team news
Pep Guardiola made seven changes from the Man City side that beat Cardiff in midweek. Raheem Sterling was recalled to the starting XI while Benjamin Mendy made his first start since November. Sergio Aguero wasn't risked in the matchday squad.
Chris Hughton, meanwhile, made four changes from the side that lost at Chelsea on Wednesday night. Martin Montoya, Bernardo, Anthony Knockaert and Glenn Murray all came in.
City, who will be back in north London on Tuesday night for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Tottenham, will face Watford or Wolves in the final. Those two sides meet in the second semi-final on Sunday.
It took just four minutes for City to take the lead. A lovely team move afforded Kevin De Bruyne plenty of space on the right to put a perfect cross into the heart of the Brighton box, and Jesus popped up unmarked to head the ball home.
The only other real noteworthy event of the first half, however, was a coming together between Kyle Walker and Alireza Jahanbakhsh, with a flare-up leading to the players going forehead to forehead.
Walker appeared to be the aggressor as he moved his forehead into the face of the Iranian, but a VAR review deemed it only worthy of the yellow card already dished out by referee Anthony Taylor.
Guardiola deemed it too risky to leave Walker on the pitch and replaced him with Danilo for the start of the second half, but it was Brighton who came out for the restart with more intent.
Player ratings
Man City: Ederson (7), Walker (5), Otamendi (7), Laporte (8), Mendy (6), Gundogan (7), De Bruyne (6), Silva (6), Bernardo (6), Sterling (6), Jesus (7)
Subs: Danilo (6), Fernandinho (n/a), Stones (n/a)
Brighton: Ryan (7), Montoya (7), Duffy (7), Dunk (7), Bernardo (6), Bissouma (7), Stephens (6), Propper (6), Knockaert (7), Jahanbakhsh (6), Murray (5)
Subs: Andone (n/a), Izquierdo (n/a), Locadia (n/a)
They nearly created a glorious opening from a corner as well after 54 minutes as Shane Duffy won a header and put it back across the six-yard box, but Aymeric Laporte just got a foot in front of Glenn Murray to deny him an open goal.
Brighton continued to press for a way back but City largely controlled the game superbly, with Guardiola throwing on the likes of John Stones and Fernandinho to help see out the result.
Post-match stats
Man City have reached their 11th FA Cup final, and first since 2013 when they eventually lost to Wigan.
Brighton have never won in five competitive matches at Wembley in all competitions, drawing one and losing four.
Manchester City have scored 20 goals in the FA Cup this season, the most by a team in a single season in the competition since Chelsea in 2011-12 (also 20).
Guardiola has become the first manager to reach both major domestic English cup finals in the same season since Kenny Dalglish with Liverpool in the 2011-12 campaign.
Jesus has scored 12 goals in 15 appearances in cup competition this season (FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League) compared to six goals in 25 appearances in the Premier League.
Man of the match: Aymeric Laporte
When you're chasing unprecedented trophy hauls it will never be straightforward, and City may well be looking back in May on the moment Laporte denied Glenn Murray a certain goal midway through the second half. He has been a supreme presence in the heart of their defence all season.
Aymeric Laporte and Bernardo Silva celebrate Man City's FA Cup semi-final win over Brighton
Aymeric Laporte and Bernardo Silva celebrate Man City's FA Cup semi-final win over Brighton
The managers
Pep Guardiola:
"It was tough because they defended incredibly well and they were well organised. After that it was tough for many reasons but I'm happy to be in the final and still in all the competitions.
"It is always almost impossible to win the quadruple. To still be surviving at this stage in all competitions is already a miracle, and it's nice to be there."
Chris Hughton:
"In my opinion it was a red card. We ask players to be honest and Alireza doesn't mkake a big meal of it, when we certainly would have seen in the past players going down clutching their heads and rolling on the floor.
"[I have looked at it] and there would have been numerous circumstances where that action would have got someone a red card. I think there was sufficient force in the action to warrant that."
Manchester City maintain quadruple hope after beating Brighton in FA Cup semi-final at Wembley on Saturday.
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| Gabriel Jesus scoring Manchester City's first goal against Brighton |
Gabriel Jesus kept Manchester City's quadruple dream alive as his early header saw them past Brighton 1-0 at Wembley and into the FA Cup final.
The Brazilian netted the only goal of Saturday's semi-final to keep City on track for an unprecedented trophy haul. Pep Guardiola's side have already won the Carabao Cup this season, and are still in the hunt for the Premier League and Champions League.
It could have got ugly for Brighton - who were chasing a first win in five attempts at Wembley - after falling behind so early on. But Chris Hughton's side were full of fight in their first appearance at this stage of the competition since 1983. They will head back to the south coast feeling plenty of pride in their performance, and can now turn their full attention to survival in the top flight.
Team news
Pep Guardiola made seven changes from the Man City side that beat Cardiff in midweek. Raheem Sterling was recalled to the starting XI while Benjamin Mendy made his first start since November. Sergio Aguero wasn't risked in the matchday squad.
Chris Hughton, meanwhile, made four changes from the side that lost at Chelsea on Wednesday night. Martin Montoya, Bernardo, Anthony Knockaert and Glenn Murray all came in.
City, who will be back in north London on Tuesday night for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Tottenham, will face Watford or Wolves in the final. Those two sides meet in the second semi-final on Sunday.
It took just four minutes for City to take the lead. A lovely team move afforded Kevin De Bruyne plenty of space on the right to put a perfect cross into the heart of the Brighton box, and Jesus popped up unmarked to head the ball home.
The only other real noteworthy event of the first half, however, was a coming together between Kyle Walker and Alireza Jahanbakhsh, with a flare-up leading to the players going forehead to forehead.
Walker appeared to be the aggressor as he moved his forehead into the face of the Iranian, but a VAR review deemed it only worthy of the yellow card already dished out by referee Anthony Taylor.
Guardiola deemed it too risky to leave Walker on the pitch and replaced him with Danilo for the start of the second half, but it was Brighton who came out for the restart with more intent.
Player ratings
Man City: Ederson (7), Walker (5), Otamendi (7), Laporte (8), Mendy (6), Gundogan (7), De Bruyne (6), Silva (6), Bernardo (6), Sterling (6), Jesus (7)
Subs: Danilo (6), Fernandinho (n/a), Stones (n/a)
Brighton: Ryan (7), Montoya (7), Duffy (7), Dunk (7), Bernardo (6), Bissouma (7), Stephens (6), Propper (6), Knockaert (7), Jahanbakhsh (6), Murray (5)
Subs: Andone (n/a), Izquierdo (n/a), Locadia (n/a)
They nearly created a glorious opening from a corner as well after 54 minutes as Shane Duffy won a header and put it back across the six-yard box, but Aymeric Laporte just got a foot in front of Glenn Murray to deny him an open goal.
Brighton continued to press for a way back but City largely controlled the game superbly, with Guardiola throwing on the likes of John Stones and Fernandinho to help see out the result.
Post-match stats
Man City have reached their 11th FA Cup final, and first since 2013 when they eventually lost to Wigan.
Brighton have never won in five competitive matches at Wembley in all competitions, drawing one and losing four.
Manchester City have scored 20 goals in the FA Cup this season, the most by a team in a single season in the competition since Chelsea in 2011-12 (also 20).
Guardiola has become the first manager to reach both major domestic English cup finals in the same season since Kenny Dalglish with Liverpool in the 2011-12 campaign.
Jesus has scored 12 goals in 15 appearances in cup competition this season (FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League) compared to six goals in 25 appearances in the Premier League.
Man of the match: Aymeric Laporte
When you're chasing unprecedented trophy hauls it will never be straightforward, and City may well be looking back in May on the moment Laporte denied Glenn Murray a certain goal midway through the second half. He has been a supreme presence in the heart of their defence all season.
Aymeric Laporte and Bernardo Silva celebrate Man City's FA Cup semi-final win over Brighton
Aymeric Laporte and Bernardo Silva celebrate Man City's FA Cup semi-final win over Brighton
The managers
Pep Guardiola:
"It was tough because they defended incredibly well and they were well organised. After that it was tough for many reasons but I'm happy to be in the final and still in all the competitions.
"It is always almost impossible to win the quadruple. To still be surviving at this stage in all competitions is already a miracle, and it's nice to be there."
Chris Hughton:
"In my opinion it was a red card. We ask players to be honest and Alireza doesn't mkake a big meal of it, when we certainly would have seen in the past players going down clutching their heads and rolling on the floor.
"[I have looked at it] and there would have been numerous circumstances where that action would have got someone a red card. I think there was sufficient force in the action to warrant that."
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