Quadruple still on as Jesus heads Manchester City into FA Cup final
The "impossible" quadruple dream remains intact for Manchester City after an early headed goal from Gabriel Jesus sealed a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday to put them into the FA Cup final.
Jesus launched himself into the air to connect decisively in the third minute but City never hit top gear and they rather labored to victory in an instantly forgettable match.
Nevertheless, after bagging the League Cup, being locked in a titanic battle with Liverpool for the Premier League title and in the Champions League quarter-finals, Pep Guardiola's side remains on course for an unprecedented clean sweep.
It was a tired-looking display against Premier League relegation battlers Brighton, though, and City will need to rediscover their spark ahead of Tuesday's trip to Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their Champions League last-eight tie.
Gabriel Jesus (R) of Manchester City scores a goal which sealed a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup semi-final match at Wembley Stadium in London, UK, April 6, 2019. /VCG Photo
"My opinion is that nobody has done it (won the quadruple) so why can we do it?" Guardiola said.
"It is almost impossible to achieve everything, that is the truth. Our fans will come, more than today, for the final, we are losing players every game but still, we will try to do it.
"I am happy to be in the final, we extend our season by one more week and we are happy for that."
Back at Wembley where they beat Chelsea on penalties to win the League Cup in February, City were huge favorites to get past a Brighton side with other things on their mind.
Whatever plan Brighton boss Chris Hughton had cooked up to stop a City side who had won 20 of their last 22 matches in all competitions was in tatters after only three minutes.
In one of the only fluid moves they put together all afternoon at a less-than-full Wembley, Kevin de Bruyne whipped in a superb low cross and Jesus arrived at the far post to plant a diving header past Brighton keeper Matthew Ryan.
The Brighton fans, who greatly outnumbered City's in the 71,000 crowd, must have feared the worst in the south coast's club's first FA Cup semi-final since 1983 when they beat Sheffield Wednesday before losing the final to Manchester United in a replay after the first game ended 2-2.
Kyle Walker (R) of Manchester City clashes with Alireza Jahanbakhsh of Brighton & Hove Albion during the FA Cup semi-final match at Wembley Stadium in London, UK, April 6, 2019. /VCG Photo
And had City fullback Kyle Walker been shown a red card during the first half after a clash with Alireza Jahanbakhsh the outcome could have been different.
Walker reacted angrily after being shoved in the back and as the players squared up to face to face, he appeared to move his head into Jahanbakhsh forehead.
The incident went to the VAR, which is being used in the FA Cup, but referee Anthony Taylor was not required to send Walker off, although he was replaced at halftime by Danilo.
"I have seen it a few times and my opinion is it is a red card," Hughton said. "If Alireza goes down clutching his head it would have been a different outcome."
A VAR decision is shown on the giant screen during the FA Cup semi-final match which Manchester City won 1-0 over Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium in London, UK, April 6, 2019. /VCG Photo
Brighton gradually grew in belief and but for a superb goalline clearance by Aymeric Laporte they could have drawn level, the Frenchman hacking clear just when Glenn Murray seemed poised to equalize early in the second half.
Hughton's side caused the occasional problem from set pieces and with City unusually lethargic the result was never in the bag until referee Anthony Taylor blew for fulltime.