Pep Guardiola challenges Jack Grealish to recapture best form for Manchester City - 'I fought a lot for him'
ByOli Gent
Updated 06/01/2025 at 12:59 GMT
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has challenged Jack Grealish to rediscover the form he showed when the Citizens won the treble back in 2022/23. The £100 million signing from Aston Villa has struggled for game time this term, often being overlooked in favour of Savinho, 20, who joined from City's French sister club Troyes last summer. Savinho has a goal and eight assists so far.
‘Our performance was not good’ – Guardiola insists Man City are ‘absolutely not’ back to best
Video credit: SNTV
Pep Guardiola has challenged Jack Grealish to "fight" to earn his place back in Manchester City’s starting XI.
Grealish, who joined the Premier League champions for £100 million from Aston Villa back in 2021, has struggled for game time this term, largely as a result of the form of summer signing Savinho from Troyes.
The Brazilian has played 25 games in all competitions this term, contributing eight assists and a goal in that time, while Grealish has played 19, with just two assists to his name.
Savinho started City’s recent 4-1 victory over West Ham, and scored in their 2-0 win at Leicester City in December - notching his first goal in sky blue.
Grealish, meanwhile, was an unused substitute at the King Power Stadium, and emerged off the bench for just six minutes against West Ham.
After the win over Julen Lopetegui’s side, Guardiola said that Savinho is "in better shape" than Grealish currently.
"It’s easy," Guardiola said. "As much as he [Grealish] looks at himself, he will see the competition, and he has to compete.
"Savinho is in better shape and everything than Jack, and that’s why I played Savinho.
"Do I want the Jack that won the treble? Yes, I want it – but I try to be honest with myself for that.
"What happened with Savinho’s delivery in the box? It’s higher than the other wingers in that position.
"They have to fight. You can say it’s unfair. OK, if you think that, then it’s fine, but you have to prove [to me], ‘OK, I’m going to fight with Savinho, to deserve to play in that position’, every single day, every single week and every single month."
Grealish has won three Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League, and the FA Cup since he moved to the Etihad Stadium, but Guardiola thinks that it is time for him to start repaying some of the faith - the "fight" - that his manager has shown in him.
"I fought a lot for him, fought a lot to be here," Guardiola said.
"[I say to him,] ‘Come on, do it again, do it again’.
"I know that he can do it because I saw him. I saw your level and I want that, every single training session and every single game.
"If not, Savinho deserves [it]. I play him because he produces. Against Everton he was brilliant, then the goal at Leicester and [Saturday] he made a goal and two unbelievable assists. That is top. That’s why he played."
City seem to have arrested their slide down the league table, which included nine defeats in 13 games at the back end of last year, and they sit sixth, two points off Chelsea in fourth, and 12 off league leaders Liverpool.
They host Salford City in the FA Cup this weekend, and then play Brentford next in the Premier League in midweek, before a trip to Ipswich Town.
The Citizens travel to Paris Saint-Germain as the UEFA Champions League reaches its business end on January 22, with that mouthwatering tie to be shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Watch and stream the 2024/25 Premier League season on TNT Sports and discovery+
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