Rob Dawson and Mark Ogden debate what the long career has in store for Jack Grenish. (1:06)
MANCHESTER, England — There was a buzz of excitement on Saturday when the Manchester City fans at the Etihad Stadium realised it was Jack Grealish who had picked up the ball to take their 49th-minute penalty in the FA Cup game against Salford City.
Without a purpose in 392 days, there’s nervous anticipation in the stands as he got the ball into position and a pause in cheers as he began his climb.
When he reached the network, one of the 8 goals scored through the city on the day, he was welcome with the afternoon delight. Grealish kissed the crowd before sharing a joke with striker Erling Haaland, the same lessee of the city’s penalty, while Norway’s interim was sitting on the replacement bank. Out of shape and the first team, Grenish is still one of the maximum popular players in the city.
Most homemade symptoms dotted on the ground on Saturday night asked Grealish for his shirt. Two young enthusiasts sitting behind the banks had headbands with their hair in the same way as England forward. After a purpose and two opposite assists to Salford, Grealish, Grealish. He left the box after the 8-0 victory dressed in a smile, but that has not been the case for more than 18 months. A key component of the PEP Guardiola team that won the acute in 2023, has regularly slipped the hierarchical order.
The former Aston Villa skipper was left on the bench as City returned to Premier League action on Tuesday and was forced to watch on as the defending champions squandered yet another lead — this time drawing 2-2 with Brentford after being two goals to the good.
It is a family scenario for the Mercurial striker. After the 4-1 victory over West Ham United at the beginning of January, Guardiola explained why Savinho, the Brazilian end of 20 years in his first season of the League, is lately in front of Grealish in his thinking. Guardiola has not hidden the fact that a review of the team is coming, in all likelihood since the summer. And if the Grealish, it is still one of the beloved maximum British soccer players in history to £ 100 million, it has not recovered as a normal headline until the end of the season, it will be inevitable questions about its future.
Does he stay at the Etihad and work to win an extension to his contract that is due to expire in 2027? Or, with two years left on his deal, will it be time for City to gauge interest and let him leave for the right offer?
The fact that Grenalish on the floor opposes Salford provides a review of his prestige within the Guardiola team. Haaland, Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Josko Gvardiol, Rico Lewis, Phil Foden, Manuel Akanji and Mateo Kovacic were wrapped in cotton on the bench with the part of the season in mind.
Instead, it’s bits like Matheus Nunes, James McAtee, Nico O’Reilly, Divine Mubama, and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey who we accept as true to see both sides of the league. At the moment, Grealish, with six league starts all season, is a component of this group.
Craig Burley and Stevie Nicol react to Manchester City 2-2 draw with Brentford.
It wasn’t supposed to play out like this.
To the left of England’s Euro 2024 squad, Grealish used Juventus’ education midway through his summer break to start getting started ahead of the new season. He was one of the few senior players to take part in the U. S. preseason trip and there was a sense it was a chance for the 29-year-old to regain a normal spot.
But after picking up an injury in training ahead of the Community Shield, he wasn’t fit enough to start a game until the end of August. Nearly five months later and his season still hasn’t got going.
“I need for my players, all of them,” said Guardiola, when asked about Grealland after the great victory over Salford. “I need them to paint well. I need it. But in the end they have to deliver.
“But not only him, it’s not just Jack. Je I saw him in the year of the three-pointers and he’s an important player for us, but after that there are two options: think it’s me or think about what he can do better. No. Jack, everyone.
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Guardiola never explicitly said that Grenish had lost his purpose after the triple season, however, there have been veiled references. Chosen to start opposing F. C. København in the UEFA Champions League in February after five games on the bench, Guardiola said he had made the resolution to repair it “because in recent days, his temperament sessions and his much greater training. “
Injuries and Guardiola’s ultra-structured formula have helped, however, the fear for Grealland is that his manager said the same thing for almost a year.
“He’ll have to compete with himself,” Guardiola said after the win over West Ham when Grenalish was limited to just six minutes off the bench. “Savinho is in better shape and each and every one and every one than Jack. I need the cat that wins the three-pointers. You’re going to have to highlight it [and every one and every day, and every one and every one and every one and every week and every one and every month. “
There’s still time for Grealish to turn things around.
During the treble season that Guardiola considers his benchmark, Grealish has only become a Bido Starter at the end of January. Between the beginning of February 2023 until the Ultimate Champions League in Istanbul, Grealish only missed seven of the city’s 29 games and maximum of the city’s 29 games and maximum of They were due to resting for larger devices. After starting this season, only Haaland can be destined from his place.
Guardiola said that Grenalish’s first purpose since December 2023 can “help him”, however, the message has been that he will have to attend himself.
If your penalty opposed to Salford can make anything in Grenish rediscover the way he showed two years ago, his position in the reconstruction of the city will be in doubt. But if Guardiola still recites the same criticism towards the end of the campaign, his long career in Etihad will be in danger.