'He just asked me what happened' - Jan Paul van Hecke reveals all about THAT exchange with Pep Guardiola

After Albion secured a stunning 2-1 comeback victory over hapless Manchester City, Guardiola confronted Van Hecke after the final whistle and had a lengthy and heated discussion with the Dutch international – which was all captured on camera.

This came after Van Hecke and City striker Erling Haaland had just both been booked following a tussle in the dying moments of the match.

Asked about the moment with Guardiola, Van Hecke said: "We were just speaking about the foul at the end in the box. He just congratulated me. I said they had a great team.”

The Brighton defender denied that the City manager was being critical, replying: “No, he just asked me what happened in the box and I just explained.

"He is a great manager. You see the way his team played at the end of last season, we lost 4-0 and I felt like the whole game I was in the rondo. I only have a lot of respect for him.”

The 24-year-old said it is ‘not every week’ that an opposing manager speaks to him after a match but revealed that it ‘has happened before’.

The centre-back was informed by Sussex World that Guardiola praised his performance in a post-match press conference.

The Spaniard said: “Really good, how he linked inside. The players really stepped up a lot with the short passes.

"All the steps they can do. There are many good things with this club [Brighton]. Of course Fabian [Hurzeler] has added his own things. How he [Van Hecke] linked inside he was aggressive, It was very very good.”

In response, Van Hecke said: “He said that? Wow, That is good.

“It is a proud moment for me. I think he is the best coach in the world.”

Guardiola, when asked what he said to to the Brighton ace, said: “That he [Van Hecke] was strong with Erling and when Erling then stands up, you have to stand up, he cannot go to the grass.

"Stay strong, no? You pull him all the game then after the fight you stay there. But he played a really good game and congratulations to Brighton."

The City manager briefly interrupted Van Hecke whilst he was speaking with reporters to shake hands.

At the time, Van Hecke was talking about how he managed to keep Erling Haaland quiet in the second half.

He said: “He is a top striker but you need also some [help] from midfielders and centre-backs. Our team did really well to press and kept them away from our goal and sometimes you need to defend in the box and I think we did well.

“We were a bit more aggressive. The strikers did really well to push even harder and get pressure high up.

“The first 30 minutes was difficult. You know they can play some of the best football in the world. I think they are the best in the world.

"Some times you need to suffer and I think we did.”