Pep Guardiola’s specific requirements are known to take time for attacking players to adapt to, especially those who were used to having free rein at their previous club. This is why it is no surprise that Manchester City supporters are only now seeing the best of Jack Grealish since his move from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021. The 27-year-old had his best game yet in a sky-blue shirt at the weekend when he assisted one goal and scored another as the Citizens came from behind to beat Liverpool 4-1 at the Etihad.
Grealish’s probing dribbles caused all kinds of problems for the Reds, not least Trent Alexander-Arnold who looked all at sea against his compatriot. A £100 million price tag was always going to weigh heavy on a player who operated in the Championship just two years prior to the record-breaking transfer, and he copped plenty of criticism last season for not hitting the ground running. However, like Leroy Sane, Joao Cancelo, Rodri, and a few others before him, something has clicked in Grealish, and he’s now able to harness his natural attributes in a way that suits Guardiola’s grand plan.
Since returning from the World Cup, he’s provided five assists and scored three goals in 14 Premier League appearances. Naturally, this surge in goal involvements has resulted in healthy Dream Team returns. A ten-point return at Liverpool’s expense – his second double-digit haul of the campaign – means that Grealish has produced 50 points across the last nine Game Weeks. He’s now level with James Maddison on 97 points overall, though it’s worth noting the Leicester playmaker has played far fewer games this term.
Incredibly, Grealish is just the fifth-best midfielder among his team-mates as Rodri, Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, and Kevin De Bruyne are all on 100+ points at this stage. The brilliant Belgian remains the best option for Dream Team gaffers keen on a Man City midfielder, but his points come at a significant cost – he’s the most-expensive asset in his position by a wide margin. With Mahrez also a costly recruit and Foden sidelined while he recovers from having his appendix removed, the in-form Grealish may be a popular man once April’s allotment of transfers are available from Friday morning.
There are certainly worse strategies than doubling up on City midfielders this month with Guardiola’s men active in the Champions League and FA Cup as well as the bread and butter of the Premier League. A two-legged affair with Bayern Munich will be hotly contested, and Arsenal’s visit to the Etihad towards the end of April could decide the league title, but it’s a favorable set of fixtures elsewhere: Southampton, Leicester, Sheffield United, Fulham.
Experienced Dream Team managers will remember that an in-form Grealish is a force to be reckoned with.