Jack Grealish’s struggles at Manchester City this season are not down to a lack of quality but rather ongoing fitness concerns, according to Pep Guardiola. The £100 million winger, who was instrumental in City’s treble-winning campaign last season, has endured a stop-start year, with injuries preventing him from gaining momentum.
Grealish has made just 13 starts and 25 appearances in all competitions this season, fueling speculation about his future at the Etihad. With Aston Villa reportedly interested in re-signing their former star, questions have arisen over his long-term prospects under Guardiola. However, the City boss insists that Grealish remains a key player when fully fit.
Speaking ahead of City’s FA Cup fifth-round tie against Plymouth, Guardiola explained:
“Jack played really well against Leyton Orient and then Madrid. Madrid is not a friendly, right? After 20 minutes, he was out, injured. That has been the case all season.”
Guardiola emphasized that Grealish’s lack of consistent game time is purely down to physical setbacks rather than tactical or performance-based reasons:
“There’s no doubt about his quality – never. But because of these issues, he has not been able to play three games in a row. He played well against Nottingham Forest, then got injured again in training. Not major issues, but he couldn’t sprint and put in the repeated efforts we need.”
Grealish’s most recent setback came in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, where he started brightly but had to be withdrawn due to injury. He was limited to a one-minute cameo in the midweek Premier League victory over Tottenham, and Guardiola remains unsure if he will feature against Plymouth.
“For this game, I don’t know if he will be ready. You have to be physically there. That’s the question.”
With competition for places increasing, Grealish faces a crucial period to prove his durability if he wants to regain his starting spot and reaffirm his importance to the City squad.
