Jack Grealish’s Resurgence at Everton: Creativity Unleashed, But Strikers’ Slump Steals the Spotlight
Jack Grealish’s season-long loan from Manchester City to Everton has been a revelation — a return to his Aston Villa heyday where flair meets output and the pitch becomes his canvas. Since arriving at Goodison Park (now Hill Dickinson Stadium) on August 12, 2025, the 30-year-old Englishman has been a creative force, racking up four assists in just two August starts — the most in the Premier League that month. The run earned him the EA SPORTS Player of the Month award, making him the first Everton recipient since Dominic Calvert-Lewin in 2020.
His debut off the bench against Leeds set the tone, but it was his first start versus Brighton on August 24 where he truly shone, assisting both goals in a 2–0 win — the first-ever competitive assist in the stadium’s history. He followed that with two more in a 3–2 thriller at Wolves, becoming the first Everton player to record multiple assists in consecutive Premier League matches.
Yet, as Everton sit a creditable fifth after seven games (W3 D2 L2, 11 points), frustration grows. Grealish’s brilliance — his 49 successful dribbles, elite 0.56 expected assists per 90, and trademark swagger — is being squandered by a forward line struggling to finish. Despite his one goal and four assists (0.81 goal contributions per 90, 99th percentile among PL wingers), Everton’s strikers have converted just 28% of his key passes into shots on target, according to Opta.
The Numbers: Grealish’s Spark vs. Strikers’ Fizzle
Grealish’s heat map screams involvement: hugging the left touchline, inverting to overload central areas, and whipping in crosses that beg for a finisher. But Everton’s attack — led by Dominic Calvert-Lewin (three goals, but underperforming by 0.42 xG) and Beto (two goals, just 15% conversion) — has produced only 11 league goals, with just three coming from Grealish’s open-play chances.
| Metric (Per 90, PL 2025/26) | Grealish | Everton Strikers | League Avg (Forwards) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Passes | 2.1 (Top 5%) | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| Chances Created | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.9 |
| Expected Assists (xA) | 0.56 (99th %) | 0.12 | 0.22 |
| Conversion Rate | N/A | 28% (–0.15 xG) | 35% |
| Big Chances Missed | 0.4 | 1.2 (Calvert-Lewin: 5 total) | 0.6 |
(Data via FBref/Opta, through Nov 1, 2025)
Grealish’s 10 shots (five on target) have yielded one goal — a curling left-footer versus Southampton — but his creative consistency (three passes into the box per 90) ranks among the league’s elite.
Why the Waste? A Tale of Two Seasons
At Manchester City, Grealish’s artistry often clashed with Pep Guardiola’s evolving system. With quick, direct wingers like Jeremy Doku and Savinho emerging, Grealish saw only 22% of league minutes in 2024/25, contributing one goal and three assists. He admitted post-loan, “I didn’t help myself at times,” but the tactical shift left little room for his patient, probing style.
Under David Moyes, though, he’s thriving again. The 4-3-3 system lets him roam, improvise, and dictate tempo — exactly the creative freedom he craves. Moyes has called him “a perfect fit,” but even he admits the final third isn’t firing.
Calvert-Lewin’s injury history and Beto’s inconsistency echo City’s own imbalance, where Erling Haaland has carried 75% of the scoring load. Grealish expressed frustration post-Wolves: “I’m creating, but we need that killer instinct up top — it’s frustrating when the chances are there.” Moyes agreed, adding, “Jack’s back to his best, but our finishing has to sharpen up.”
Everton’s xG of 1.4 per game (top six) versus an actual return of 1.57 (mid-table) highlights the efficiency gap. Grealish’s individual xG of 0.91 from his own shots alone outpaces both strikers’ totals.
The Verdict: Revival at Risk, But Hope on the Horizon
This isn’t City’s rigid machine anymore — it’s Everton’s canvas, and Grealish is painting freely. One yellow card in seven matches, nearly 50% dribble success, and a Player of the Month nod on his 30th birthday signal a genuine revival. But without sharper finishing — perhaps through January reinforcements like Iliman Ndiaye or a fully fit Calvert-Lewin — that artistry may fade into frustration.
Upcoming clashes against Aston Villa and Liverpool could define his Everton chapter: will the Toffees turn his creativity into cutting edge?
Jack Grealish isn’t wasted — he’s reborn. But for Everton to climb, and for Manchester City to truly regret letting him go, their strikers need to start feasting. As Grealish himself quipped: “I’m serving them up — now finish the plate.”
