Jack Grealish’s Ongoing Struggles: Left Watching as City Falter
All the pre-match discussion centered around Jack Grealish—a player making more headlines off the pitch than on it.
His latest night out may not have been breaking news, but the tabloids feasted on it, forcing Pep Guardiola to extinguish the flames before they grew. The manager made it clear: if Grealish wants to be in the spotlight, he needs to do it through performances, not headlines.
Yet, despite a decent showing in the FA Cup, Grealish couldn’t hold onto his place. Guardiola reverted to the Doku-Savinho-Haaland trio—his so-called “future” attack from the Tottenham game. That is the level Grealish must reach, and for now, his wait for a Premier League start since December drags on.
At the City Ground, he was among the last substitutes to emerge, alongside Kevin De Bruyne, while his younger teammates joined the warm-up earlier. When drills began, it was Grealish who took on the role of the “extra man,” setting up shots and crosses for the starters—a subtle but telling message. Punishment? Challenge? Perhaps both.
Grealish was out early for second-half warm-ups, spending much of the final 45 minutes on the touchline, waiting. He watched as Guardiola turned to Mateo Kovačić, then De Bruyne, then Omar Marmoush in search of attacking inspiration. His number never came up.
When Callum Hudson-Odoi broke through and rifled past Ederson to seal a famous Nottingham Forest victory, Grealish stood alone near the Trent End, watching the home substitutes storm onto the pitch in celebration. Eventually, he trudged back to the bench, another game passing him by.
With Thomas Tuchel set to announce his first England squad this week, Grealish is almost certainly missing from the list. Hudson-Odoi, on the other hand, may have just played his way in.
For the seventh time since his last league start, Grealish remained unused (or unavailable). The few times he has been brought on? One minute, seven minutes, and 28 minutes—hardly a vote of confidence.
At full-time, he lingered on the bench, then slowly made his way towards the pitch before heading straight down the tunnel. No minutes, no impact, and—perhaps most tellingly—no extended interaction with the City fans.
The longer his exile continues, the more scrutiny his every move will receive. Guardiola’s frontline misfired at Forest, yet Grealish was still not the answer. The headlines won’t stop until he is.
