Pep Guardiola praised his Manchester City players for playing with intensity in the 1-1 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday night, just 48 hours after some late-night parties to celebrate becoming Premier League champions.
For the first time since February, City failed to win a league game as a stunning goal by Brighton's Paraguayan teenager Julio Enciso snapped their 12-game winning run.
Erling Haaland, who set up Phil Foden's opener, had a late goal disallowed, resulting in a yellow card for Guardiola.
City have one more league game left before an FA Cup final against Manchester United and then a Champions League final against Inter Milan.
Victories in both will see City match Manchester United's treble, so Guardiola's side might have been excused taking their foot off the gas having won a fifth title in six seasons at the weekend. That they did not win, however, was more to do with an excellent Brighton side who sealed a Europa League spot.
"Exceptional game. Congratulations to Brighton for their deserved qualification to the Europa League," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "The game we played, 48 hours after [the title celebrations], 48 hours later we behaved and we showed why we were the champions against that team.
"We showed what we have done with and without the ball. I didn't see one drop in our intensity and idea. They had chances, we had chances, we scored a goal, they scored a goal.
"Both teams want the ball, both teams want to press. The keepers are fundamental in this game. The quality (Brighton) have, they are an exceptional team."
Guardiola shared some jokes during the game with Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi and warmly congratulated the home players. But he was angry that Haaland's goal was disallowed for shirt-pulling.
"Watch it. Watch it, if it's a fault, every action for Erling is a fault," he said of his 52-goal striker.
Brighton v Man City player ratings
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BRIGHTON PLAYER RATINGS: Jason Steele - 6. Came out on top when he was faced one-on-one with Haaland in the 22nd minute. Could do little about Foden’s goal. PA -
Levi Colwill - 7. Saw Enciso in space and played a simple pass into his path for the home side’s equaliser. VAR came to his rescue when Haaland dragged him to the ground before heading home Cole Palmer’s cross. AP -
Jan Paul Van Hecke - 7. Showed composure to dribble past De Bruyne and Haaland while under pressure in his area early in the game. Could have done better to keep out Foden’s goal. Stayed close to Haaland and helped stop the Norwegian from scoring. Getty -
Pervis Estupinan - 7. Almost scored his second goal for Brighton with a long-range effort that had Ortega worried. Kept Mahrez very quiet on the left wing. PA -
Pascal Gross - 5. Forced Ortega into a routine save with a free-kick that lacked pace in the 16th minute. Had a torrid first half against Foden on the left wing. Getty -
Moises Caicedo - 8. An incredible performance in the middle of the pitch against the league winners. Provided excellent cover for his defence and also attacked with vigour. Reuters -
Billy Gilmour - 6. Went close to scoring his first senior goal, but his shot lacked the power and pace to beat Ortega. Subbed off early in the second half. AFP -
Julio Enciso - 9. What a cracker! Pulled Brighton level with an absolute rocket into the top corner in the 38th minute. Should have added an assist to his goal, but Welbeck failed to connect to his low cross on the brink of halftime. A swashbuckling performance from the 19-year-old. AP -
Facundo Buonanotte - 7. Showed good defensive awareness to track back and pick the pocket of De Bruyne on the edge of the penalty area. Did well to skip past two challenges before stinging the palms of Ortega with a left-footed shot in the 35th minute. Getty -
Kaoru Mitoma - 6 .Thought he had given Brighton the equaliser, but replays from VAR showed that the rebound came off his hand. Sliced another effort high and wide when he tried to hit a cross first time in the 56th minute. AFP -
Danny Welbeck - 6. Took too long on the ball before taking a shot, allowing Foden to produce a block in the eighth minute. Unlucky to see his beautiful free kick come off the crossbar in the 19th minute. Getty -
SUBS: Evan Ferguson (Enciso 52') - 6. Made Ortega work with a well-struck effort in the 55th minute. Combined well with his teammates but failed to add to his six goals for the home side. AP -
Alexis Mac Allister (Gilmour 52') - 6. He could have done better with a pass to put Undav through on goal late in the game. Added more guise to the Brighton midfield and saw two of his shots blocked by the away side’s disciplined backline. Getty -
Deniz Undav (Buananotte 75') - N/A. His first touch let him down when he was played through on goal by Mac Allister in the 82nd minute. Visibly annoyed when Mitoma failed to pick out his run late in the game. Getty -
Joel Veltman (Welbeck 75;) - N/A. Beaten too easily at the far post by Palmer in the build-up to Haaland’s disallowed goal. PA -
MANCHESTER CITY PLAYER RATINGS: Stefan Ortega - 6. Forced into a routine save by Gilmour in the eighth minute. Came off his line quickly to deny Mitoma in the 64th minute. No chance with Enciso's wondergoal. AFP -
Kyle Walker - 7. Tasked with keeping the nibble-footed Mitoma quiet, Walker once again came out on top against one of the best wingers in the Premier League. He could have done better with his contribution in the attacking third. Reuters -
John Stones - 6. Good sliding challenge on Enciso to stop a counter-attack in the 23rd minute. Should have done better to quickly close up the space in front of Enciso in the build-up to the home side’s equaliser. Reuters -
Rico Lewis - 6. Gave Buonanotte a chance to test Ortega when he failed to deal with a cross from the right but made amends by blocking the resulting shot. Called Steele into action with a weak effort in the 49th minute. AFP -
Rodri- 6. Deployed as a centre-back, Rodri had his hands full with Brighton's lightning-quick and nimble-footed attackers. Getty -
Ilkay Gundogan - 6. Put under pressure and forced into a couple of errors in the first half. Got close with a shot that flashed just wide in the 48th minute. Did well to steal the ball off the feet of Mitoma late in the game. AFP -
Bernardo Silva - 5. Limited to more defensive contributions in the game due to Brighton's high press and impressive performance. Getty -
Kevin De Bruyne - 6. Played a peach of a cross to find Foden at the back post on the stroke of half-time. Wasn’t at his best on the day and was subbed off early in the second half. AP -
Riyad Mahrez - 5. Gorgeous pass to pick out Haaland in the build-up to City's goal. Not the best of nights for the Algerian at the American Express Community Stadium. AFP -
Phil Foden - 8. Magnificent turn and run into the penalty area before setting up Haaland with a cross in the sixth minute. Opened the scoring for City with a simple finish in the 25th minute. He got close to putting City back in the lead again, but he failed to pick out the top corner with his header. AFP -
Erling Haaland - 7. Great decision to pick out Foden when he could have had a go himself for City's goal. Thought he had grabbed his 37th goal of the season when he met Palmer’s cross at the far post, but VAR ruled out his goal for a foul in the build-up. Getty -
SUBS: Cole Palmer (Foden 51') - 7. Almost made an immediate impact when he stung Steele’s palms with a shot just two minutes after coming on. Provided an excellent delivery for Haaland’s disallowed goal. A lively cameo from the youngster. AP -
Julian Alvarez (De Bruyne 57') - 6. Beautiful cross-field pass to pick out Haaland on the edge of the penalty area halfway into the second half. Didn’t get a chance to test Steele in Brighton’s goal. Reuters -
Sergio Gomez (Stones 84') - N/A. Helped City come out of the game with a point despite the home side’s late pressure. Getty -
Kalvin Phillips (Silva 84') - N/A. Came on and helped the away side steady the ship in the game's dying moments. EPA
Guardiola said his side cannot afford to lose any momentum as they seek to make history.
"I didn't see it, against Chelsea I didn't see it today. During the week we have to rest, recover mentally," he said.
"It's been demanding for the past six months playing Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, chasing Arsenal. The training now is just relaxed."
Brighton's point means they can make plans for the Europa League, the club's first European venture.
“It’s a fantastic goal, we achieved an incredible target,” De Zerbi said. “Man City is the best team in the world. For us it was a very tough game. We deserve the point. We deserve the Europa League.”
Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele echoed his manager's comments, saying: "What an achievement, what a club, what a group of guys. The togetherness, the culture and we are driven in by a top, top manager. Special times."
