Manchester City’s Jack Grealish suffered an injury blow during Tuesday’s 6-2 FA Cup triumph over Luton Town. Despite Grealish’s early departure, Pep Guardiola’s side secured a convincing victory at Kenilworth Road, advancing to the quarter-final draw scheduled for Wednesday.
Erling Haaland stole the spotlight with a remarkable five-goal haul, while Kevin De Bruyne played a pivotal role by providing assists for each of Haaland’s first four goals. Mateo Kovacic also found the back of the net, contributing to Manchester City’s comprehensive six-goal tally as they continued their FA Cup title defense with style.
Unfortunately, the evening was marred by Grealish’s injury setback, forcing him off the field in the 38th minute.
Grealish’s return to the starting lineup marked his first appearance since recovering from a groin injury sustained during the Champions League victory over Copenhagen earlier this month.
In a post-match statement to reporters, Pep Guardiola disclosed that Grealish had experienced a reoccurrence of the same groin issue, shedding light on the nature of the player’s unfortunate setback.
Guardiola said: “I didn’t speak to the doctor but he complained a little bit about the groin, maybe it is quite similar. He felt really really good but unfortunately, he got injured. It’s been a tough season for him, he has to recover well.”
Tuesday’s premature exit adds to a series of challenges in what has been a challenging season for the 28-year-old, who has found it difficult to secure a regular starting spot.
Despite his presence in six Champions League lineups, Grealish has been limited to just seven starts in 14 Premier League appearances so far this season.
With doubts surrounding his availability, Grealish’s participation in Sunday’s Premier League encounter against local rivals Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium hangs in the balance.
England manager Gareth Southgate will also be monitoring Grealish’s fitness closely, with important friendlies against Brazil and Belgium on the horizon next month.