Pep Guardiola has defended Jack Grealish, emphasising that the attacker does not need to get goals to be a useful weapon.
Against Leeds United, Grealish received pelters from the Man City fanbase for his wastefulness in front of goal.
The England international was responsible for missing 3 gilt-edged chances in the first half in what was a forgettable 45-minute performance from him.
The miss which angered the Sky Blues fans as a collective was when Jack Grealish skied an inch-perfect cutback, when he virtually had an empty net in front of him late into the half.
Ultimately, Pep Guardiola’s trusted winger redeemed himself in the 2nd half, setting up Erling Haaland’s brace with two wonderful assists.
However, a ton of Man City supporters remained enraged with Grealish after the game.
There was a sense that many of those that still believed in the 27-year-old to come good had lost faith in the divisive creator.
However, the main man at the club has not backed his corner.
Pep Guardiola says Jack Grealish does not need to score goals
Ahead of Man City’s upcoming contest against Everton, Pep Guardiola emphasised Jack Grealish does not need to score goals to be an asset in a Man City shirt.
“Jack [Grealish] doesn’t need goals to change my opinion. Since day one, we’ve been delighted with Jack.”
“I know the role he had at Aston Villa, it was completely different. Maybe he has to adapt to our environment, but since day one, he’s set out perfectly.”
“Of course, we want [him] to score goals, he’s the first [to say that]. But he always plays to a good level. When the ball arrives to him, rarely he will lose the ball. And that’s what we want”, he was quoted by Metro.
It’s clear to see that Pep Guardiola sees Jack Grealish as an elite ball-retention presence more than an out-and-out goalscorer, and seems to be content with his specialised role in the Man City setup.
Interestingly enough, even Bernardo Silva had a similar piece of advice for Grealish, which is a sign that those within the club are chuffed with his performances for the most part.
