"Our players were incredible"

Graham Potter spoke of his pride in his Swansea City players after they gave Premier League champions Manchester City an almighty scare in their FA Cup quarter-final.

The Swans had looked on course for a first semi-final appearance since 1964 when a Matt Grimes penalty and a wonderful team goal, finished by Bersant Celina, had them 2-0 up.

The score stayed that way until the 69th minute when Bernardo Silva pulled a goal back.

A controversial penalty allowed City to level as Sergio Aguero’s spot-kick found the net via the post and the legs of Kristoffer Nordfeldt in the Swansea goal.

And the Argentinian then broke Swansea hearts, stopping to head home the winner.

But manager Potter was full of praise for the character and quality the Swans showed against their quadruple-chasing opponents.

“I don’t want anything to take away from the quality of our performance,” said Potter.

“We showed great courage, great quality and effort.

“We met a top team that over the course of the game probably deserved to go through, congratulations to them and we wish them the best in the next round.

“But, from our perspective I thought our players were incredible. They showed such courage and quality. I am just really proud of them.

“It’s so difficult, we are not the only side that have tried to get a foothold in the game against them.

“They pushed us back. We had a game at West Brom on Wednesday night and I think the back end of that game probably took a toll on the players.

“But it does not make it any easier when Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling come on, it makes it more difficult and in the end we couldn’t hold out but it was credit to our players and our performance that they felt the need to do that to get over the line.

“But the performance was one to be very proud of.”