Graham Potter believes FA Cup win has united his squad

The Seagulls beat the League Two side 4-3 on penalties after Newport had pegged them back with the last kick of the game to leave the scores level at 1-1 after 90 minutes.

However, despite Potter describing the game as ‘traumatic’ after the victory on Sunday, he believes the result has brought his players together.

He said: “We hope so, the group has been really good, sometimes you need those games, those tough situations and we have got a tough week this week.

“We needed to use the group on Sunday and we will need to use it again this week. That in itself means everyone is fighting together.

“It’s something we want to try and use to be positive.

“Winning football matches however it happens is nice, and it was a tough game on Sunday so we’re happy to go through.”

Albion got back from Wales late on Monday morning and some of their first-team regulars like Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster, and Neal Maupay played the full game.

The Seagulls now turn their attention to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Premier League tomorrow evening (BT Sport, 6pm).

But Potter admits they will do their upmost to cope with the quick turnaround.

He said: “We got back late on Monday morning, so we gave them the morning off and they were back in for the afternoon just to help them recover and refuel, to start the preparations for Manchester City.

“You get these moments in the season where you have a quick turnaround in games and we are in that moment now. We have to get on with it and try our best.”

City have started to find their feet after a slow start to the campaign.

In their last five matches in all competitions, they have scored 15 goals and conceded just two in return.

Guardiola’s men will be looking to move back into the top four with a win and Potter is braced to face a City side that is hitting their best form.

He said: “I would agree, they’re in a really good moment.

“The Chelsea game, in particular, was one of the best games I have seen from a performance perspective, they were fantastic.

“They have also beaten Manchester United and gone through in the FA Cup.

“They have been solid, they don’t concede much, defensively they are very sound and the rhythm and fluidity that you associate with them has been getting better and better which you’d expect, and they’re a top team.”

Potter will be hoping that his side fare better than they did against City last season.

They lost 4-0 away at the Etihad, before then being thumped 5-0 at the Amex after the lockdown.

However, Potter believes his side have improved in some aspects since then.

He said: “We feel that we have improved, certainly, performance-wise, results-wise we haven’t and we need to improve that, but performance-wise we have got better.

“Funnily enough the game at the Etihad last season we were quite satisfied with, even though the scoreline was 4-0. That is what can happen when you play against the top teams.

“Then the game after the lockdown was a difficult one for us.

“We were in a moment where you’re trying to get the points you need to stay up, there were some important games coming up, we were playing Norwich around that time.

“Psychologically it’s difficult to play the very best teams and they were in a really good moment.

“It’s a fantastic challenge and it is a great test against one of the best teams in European football. “What better way to try to improve yourself than to play against that sort of opposition?”