I spoke to Pep Guardiola after the Jan Paul van Hecke clash and his response was terrible – he just looked a bit silly

Disclaimer: I like Jan Paul van Hecke and now I like him even more.    The look on the Brighton defender’s face when Pep Guardiola confronted him after the final whistle at the Amex Stadium on Saturday was one of confusion – and no surprise.

   Guardiola suffered his fourth successive defeat for the first time in his managerial career and Van Hecke clearly bore the brunt of the Spaniard’s frustration.

   The Netherlands international had an uphill battle with Norway striker Erling Haaland during Brighton’s 2-1 win, but things came to a head in the final stages as the pair clashed in the box as City frantically tried to equalise.

   Van Hecke and Haaland, both bruised and tired, fell to the ground and both received yellow cards for their troubles.    The Brighton man lay there holding his head for some time, either in pain or just to gain a few extra seconds and reduce the late pressure.    Game management?

   Regardless, it worked as Brighton deservedly hung on and briefly moved up to fourth in the table, while City slipped further behind leaders Liverpool.

   Guardiola – amid Brighton’s sarcastic chant of “you’ll be sacked in the morning” – was far from pleased and looked directly at Van Hecke after 10 minutes of added time.

   “[Van Hecke] was strong with Erling and when Erling gets up, you have to get up,” was Guardiola’s official statement after the match.   “He can’t go to the grass. Stay strong, right? You drag him all game and stay there after the fight.”

   The exchange was caught on TV cameras and Mail Online’s exclusive lip-reading expert Jeremy Freeman revealed what was said: Guardiola – ‘Are you kidding me?’    Guardiola – “Are you serious?”    Guardiola – “You don’t.”

   Van Hecke – “Huh?”    Guardiola – “You asked for…crying.”    Guardiola – “Are you crying?”    Van Hecke – “Huh?”    Guardiola – “Of course not.”    Guardiola – “Are you proud of that?”    Van Hecke – “Of course.”

   Guardiola – “Fair play for that.”    Van Hecke – “Why?”  Guardiola – “Don’t come on baby..no.”    Guardiola – “No, let’s go clap.”    Guardiola – “You played a good game. I still want to congratulate you.”

   Guardiola – “Congratulations anyway. Enjoy your evening.”    Van Heck – “Thank you.”

   No wonder Van Hecke looked confused.    He was just 12 rounds with Haaland and then had this bizarre exchange with Guardiola!

   The City manager praised Van Hecke’s performance when asked by the Sussex World in his post-match press conference, but I highly doubt he would appreciate Fabian Hurzeler – or any other Premier League manager – speaking to one of his City players like that.

   Hurzeler was too busy enjoying one of the biggest wins of his young career to care too much, and Van Hecke had already dismissed the incident when he arrived to speak to reporters in the mixed zone.    “We were just talking about the offense at the end of the field,” was Van Hecke’s modest reply.

   The hardened Guardiola was all a bit silly.    He and Haaland must have expected a physical battle with Van Hecke and the Brighton defender did not disappoint.

   Van Hecke played a striker as well as anyone could, and even with Haaland’s opening goal, Van Hecke was narrowly adrift of an acrobatic clearance off the line after Bart Verbruggen half-stopped the Norwegian’s first-time strike.