Guardiola Urges ‘Street Fighter’ Grealish to Prove Him Wrong
Guardiola Encourages Grealish to Show His Resilience and Prove Himself
- Jack Grealish has been challenged by manager Pep Guardiola
- Grealish delivered a strong performance in Manchester City's 1-0 FA Cup
- Guardiola praised Grealish’s fighting spirit
Manchester City’s Jack Grealish has been challenged by manager Pep Guardiola to prove him wrong after falling out of the first-choice starting lineup this season.
Despite City’s occasional struggles, the England international has found himself sidelined, with Brazilian winger Savinho’s form playing a key role in his reduced minutes.
Additionally, the return of Norwegian Oscar Bobb from injury and the arrival of £63m signing Omar Marmoush has added more competition for Grealish, the former Aston Villa star.
Grealish delivered a strong performance in Manchester City’s 1-0 FA Cup win over Leyton Orient, creating the decisive 79th-minute goal for Kevin de Bruyne. This was his first start since the previous round’s victory over League Two Salford.
Despite this, it is likely Grealish will return to the bench for Tuesday’s pivotal Champions League play-off first leg against Real Madrid.
Guardiola praised Grealish’s fighting spirit, describing him as having “the sense of the street.” The City manager added, “Most players today are academic, following set instructions. Jack, however, is a fighter. He thrives in the heat of competition, especially when the crowd is behind him.”
He acknowledged that Grealish’s lack of recent game time was due to Savinho’s strong connection with Erling Haaland on the left flank. However, Guardiola expressed belief in Grealish’s potential, stating, “But against Orient, I saw a spark that suggests he’s ready to fight back and show me how wrong I am. I love that attitude.”
