“I have played only 14 minutes in the last 4 matches despite being fit Pep Guardiola still benches me, I want to lesve the Club with immediate effect- Man City Star wants to LEAVE Ethihad due to lack of playing time
Pep Guardiola has challenged Jack Grealish to regain the form that earned him a £100 million contract with Manchester City, making him the most expensive player in Britain.
Grealish has begun City’s previous four games on the bench, playing only 14 minutes – a late substitution in a 3-1 victory against Burnley ten days ago.
The strong performances of Phil Foden and Julian Alvarez have squeezed Grealish out of the picture, with City manager Pep Guardiola pushing the England winger to be himself if he wants to reclaim his place.
Young Norwegian winger Oscar Bobb has also started ahead of Grealish this season, with the 28-year-old facing competition for regular playing time ahead of England’s Euro 2024 campaign this summer.
When asked what Grealish needed to do to get back into the City team, Guardiola replied, “Be oneself. I’m always happy with my players, including Jack.
“He has to demand from himself to get back to where he was, especially last season and throughout his time at Aston Villa.” I am looking forward to giving him minutes. He is now taking initiatives to reach his full potential. We need him, everyone, and Jack.
“He’s taking the necessary steps to return to his peak performance and is currently playing against top players. This is the sole reason why. He was not as good this season as he was previous year, but he is improving. This season, he’s been growing better, and we’re looking ahead.”
Jack Grealish plays for Man City.
Jack Grealish is battling to reclaim his spot at Manchester City after starting the last four games on the bench. (Image: Getty Images.))
Guardiola revealed Grealish was seriously affected by a break-in at his home on December 27 while his family was inside and he was playing in a 3-1 victory against Everton.
When asked how much of an impact the raid had on Grealish, Guardiola replied, “I’m pretty sure it did for a few days.” Hopefully, he forgot, but I would have been affected as well. It’s not easy for him, his partner, or his family. I think he handled it really effectively. He hasn’t mentioned anything in a while, so I hope he’s okay.”
Pep Guardiola has informed Manchester City winger Jack Grealish what he must do to regain his starting position. (Image: @beinsports_FR/Twitter).
City can go top of the table with a victory over Everton today, but Guardiola was quick to dismiss suggestions of his team replicating last season’s Treble triumph. “We have 99.99 possibility that we’re not going to win the Treble,” remarked Pep Guardiola. “The chances of doing it again are like this [makes a raspberry noise].
“If it had been easy, another team—Manchester United at the time—would have done it again. It is not easy. What I enjoy is that we are still present. We’re on the verge of winning the league, and we’ve qualified for other events.
“This is what I prefer at this stage. Hopefully, we will arrive in March and April with the same will to compete for the crowns in May. This is the target.”
