In the midst of Man City’s triumph in the FA Cup fixture against Luton, Jack Grealish, visibly distressed, shielded his countenance following an injury-enforced departure from the field during the initial period of the match. This marked the England international’s return to the starting lineup after a hiatus since encountering a groin ailment during a prior encounter against Copenhagen earlier this month. Nonetheless, Grealish’s reintegration was brief, enduring a mere 38 minutes before yielding his position to Jeremy Doku.
The incident transpired as Grealish seemed to abruptly halt following a swift maneuver and subsequent pass while stationed on the left flank. However, antecedent to this occurrence, there was a discernible indication of discomfort as he opted against a long-range attempt, despite the opposing goalkeeper, Tom Krul, being notably out of position.
Exhibiting an air of dejection, the 28-year-old assumed a seat on the bench, promptly veiling his visage with a training garment. Amidst his despondency, teammate Phil Foden extended consolation, though Grealish appeared too disheartened to meet the gazes of his peers.
Grealish’s inclusion in the squad for the encounter against Bournemouth on Saturday ended in him remaining unused, as the Premier League champions clinched victory with a narrow 1-0 margin. This latest setback occurred subsequent to manager Pep Guardiola’s public assertion, urging Grealish to assertively vie for reinstatement into the starting lineup.
“He is the same player, he has the same manager, and the way we play has not changed,” said the Spaniard, explaining why the £100million man has struggled for regular minutes in the 2023/24 campaign. “It’s just the way he has performed. That’s the difference.
“I said from day one, we need him. He has a special quality for our team. But it depends on him. Hopefully he can do a good last three months.”
The forthcoming development will undoubtedly pose a setback for England’s national team manager, Gareth Southgate. Scheduled to engage in Euro 2024 preparatory fixtures against Brazil and Belgium next month, the absence of Grealish from these matches is poised to impact his potential involvement, thereby affecting the team’s overall preparation and performance.