The challenge is in front of Jack Grealish to play more for Manchester City | OneFootball

To say this season has been a disappointing campaign for Jack Grealish would be an understatement. Injuries and poor form have seen Grealish fail to reach any great heights this season. The hope was after the England international had a summer of rest he would make a big impact this season for Manchester City. But that hasn’t been what has transpired.

This season we have seen Savinho and Jeremy Doku preferred out wide to Jack Grealish by Pep Guardiola. Those two players offer more of a direct attacking threat than the England international. With their pace and ability to beat a man they do offer more than Grealish has this season. The statistics of all three players this season do paint part of that picture.

In 22 appearances this season Grealish has scored 2 goals and added 4 assists. Doku has added 6 goals and 7 assists in 22 appearances. Brazilian international Savinho has scored 2 goals and added 8 assists in 30 appearances. Those statistics tell part of the story, but your eyes also tell you that Savinho and Jeremy Doku are infinitely more dangerous players when on the pitch than Grealish. To play more Grealish simply has to do more and offer more. The January signing of Omar Marmoush does add another attacking option for Pep Guardiola to employ. All told it’s on Grealish to up his game to get into and stay in the Manchester City starting eleven.

Pep Guardiola has preferred Doku and Savinho to Jack Grealish this season.

Pep Guardiola has explained why Jack Grealish hasn’t played in recent matches. Speaking before his team’s FA Cup tie against Leyton Orient Guardiola was asked why Grealish hasn’t played lately. He explained: “I’m so sorry they don’t get the minutes that maybe they deserve but at the end, the contributions from Jeremy [Doku] or Savinho have been massive this season… This is the only reason why; it’s not personal, or I don’t like Jack, or I don’t have confidence in him.”

“Of course when you play one player more minutes than another, you have more confidence right now. But I know his attributes, it’s just for the fact that for the impact one of the big, big news this season is Savinho. It’s his first season; his impact in goals, assists, last game at Arsenal made an incredible step-up defensively and challenging duels. And this is the reason why.”

You do get the sense that it’s on Jack Grealish to earn more minutes. He isn’t going to be gifted games due to his past exploits. Grealish was an integral member of City’s 22/23 treble winning side. But that was several seasons ago now. Jeremy Doku, Savinho, Omar Marmoush and Oscar Bobb are all competing for the same role as Jack Grealish. He simply must lift his game or the writing may be on the wall for his Manchester City career. It’s as simple as that.