While Jack Grealish has been struggling since the start of the season and has not been able to return to his best form, Pep Guardiola has sent him a very clear message.

Will 2025 be the year of redemption for Jack Grealish? Although it’s impossible to answer that question at this moment, it is certainly the hope of Manchester City supporters following a calendar year marked by a catastrophic statistic for the English international. In 45 appearances across all competitions in 2024, the man with the big calves and always-lowered socks has not managed to find the back of the net. This revealing and unflattering statistic speaks volumes about the current poor form of Manchester City's most expensive signing, who has been chasing a goal since December 16, 2023, in a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

For Jack Grealish, who arrived in northern England in the summer of 2021 for €117.5 million from Aston Villa, the past year is one to forget, especially as this sharp drop in form has caused him to slip down the attacking hierarchy. Aware that the current four-time Premier League champions needed a jolt, but above all fresh blood in a struggling attacking line, Pep Guardiola decided to give Savinho a chance in recent Premier League matches. This trust was repaid by the former Girona player, who scored one goal and provided three assists in his last three appearances for the Citizens, including two assists for Erling Haaland in the recent 4-1 victory over West Ham.

"Savinho Deserves to Play"

Asked about Jack Grealish's bad run and Savinho's rise in the press conference this weekend, Pep Guardiola sent a very clear message to the Englishman. "It’s simple. Even if he looks at himself, he sees the competition and he has to be competitive. Savinho is in better form than Jack, and that’s why I played Savinho. I want the Jack who won the treble. I want him, but I try to be honest with myself about that. They have to fight… But they need to prove that they’re going to fight with Savinho to deserve to play in that position. And that’s every day, every week, and every month," the Spanish manager said frankly.

Despite his attachment to Grealish, who was one of the main architects of the famous treble in 2023, the Sky Blues coach is determined to motivate him with a shake-up. "I fought a lot for him, I fought a lot for him to be here. And I know he can do it because I’ve seen him. I’ve seen his level, and I want him to do it at every training session and every game. If he doesn’t, is there anyone in this room who thinks Savinho doesn’t deserve to play? No, he deserves it. That’s why I play him, because he produces. That’s why he played," Guardiola continued before sending a final warning to Jack Grealish, who has only started six times since the start of the current season. "I would love to play football. I was an excellent football player. You probably don’t remember, but I was a player and I would love to play. I can’t. If I’m not performing, I can’t." The message is clear.