Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish lost his cool at the final whistle at Aston Villa today as the champions continued their wretched run. It’s now just one win in 11 games for Pep Guardiola’s side after they were beaten 2-1, with the defeat a particularly tough one for Grealish to take.
The playmaker left Villa Park for the Etihad in the summer of 2021, for a club record £100million feee.
That move came after Grealish had publicly stated his desire to spend his while career with his boyhood club, staying loyal in 2016 despite the club’s relegation to the Championship.
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He was jeered throughout the lunchtime kick-off, and appeared rattled in the first-half as he complained to officials about the lack of added time. As the 29-year-old headed for the tunnel, he then became embroiled in a confrontation with former team-mate Emi Martinez, as Erling Haaland moved in to play peacemaker.
But it was after his side’s third straight defeat was confirmed that Grealish reacted to the crowd. He held up three fingers as he continued to be goaded, signifying the amount of Premier League titles he’d won since his switch.
His behaviour sparked comparisons with his manager’s response to Liverpool fans singing “you’re getting sacked in the morning” to him at Anfield last month. The Spaniard hit back by holding up six fingers, one for each title win since arriving in England ahead of the 2016/17 season.
The form of Grealish at City career arguably peaked during the 2022/23 campaign, where City completed an historic league, FA Cup, and Champions League treble. He played more than 60 games that season, but has since been plagued by fitness struggles.
The England international has now failed to score a club goal in his last 45 matches, and has not registered a league assist for more than a year. His current six-year contract runs until 2027, and previous speculation of an eventual return to Villa Park now looks far fetched.
It didn’t take long for City’s woes to continue, with Jhon Duran firing the hosts ahead after 16 minutes. Morgan Rogers added a second just after the hour mark, before Phil Foden struck a consolation goal in injury time.
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Grealish, who has played 17 times for City this season, was axed from the squad by Gareth Southgate for the Euro 2024 tournament in the summer. He’s since been recalled by interim boss Lee Carsley, scoring in the Nations League win over Ireland in September.
That was another game where he was booed with every touch taken, having previously represented the Irish at under-21 level before switching allegiance. After his goal, he cupped his ears to the crowd in Dublin, prompting an angry reaction from home supporters.
