Manchester City's Pep Guardiola has thrown down the gauntlet to Jack Grealish, urging him to step up his game after losing his spot to in-form Savinho.
During City's less-than-stellar season, Grealish has barely featured in Guardiola's starting XI with fitness woes impacting his performance levels.
The England star hasn't replicated his dynamic displays from the treble-winning 2022-23 campaign.
Guardiola expressed his thoughts clearly: "It’s easy. As much as he (Grealish) looks at himself, he will see the competition and he has to compete. Savinho is in better shape and everything than Jack, and that’s why I played Savinho."
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The City manager didn't mince words about his expectations: "Do I want the Jack that won the treble? Yes, I want it – but I try to be honest with myself for that.
"What happened with Savinho’s delivery in the box? It’s higher than the other wingers in that position. They have to fight. You can say it’s unfair.
"OK, if you think that, then it’s fine, but you have to prove (to me), ‘OK, I’m going to fight with Savinho, to deserve to play in that position’, every single day, every single week and every single month."
Since his record £100million transfer from Aston Villa in summer 2021, Grealish has clinched three Premier League titles, the Champions League, and the FA Cup. However, this season has seen both Grealish and City falter, with the team enduring a slump of nine losses in 13 matches towards the end of 2024.
Guardiola has now publicly called for improvement from Grealish, saying: "I fought a lot for him, fought a lot to be here. (I say) ‘Come on, do it again, do it again’. I know that he can do it because I saw him. I saw your level and I want that, every single training session and every single game.
"If not, Savinho deserves. I play him because he produces. Against Everton he was brilliant, then the goal at Leicester and (Saturday) he made a goal and two unbelievable assists. That is top. That’s why he played."
Meanwhile, Brazilian winger Savinho has begun to emerge as a bright spot in the team. The 20-year-old summer signing from sister club Troyes scored at Leicester last week and dazzled again as he played a pivotal role in City's 4-1 triumph over West Ham, forcing an own goal and setting up two for Erling Haaland.
Savinho himself expressed his contentment with his progress at the Etihad, despite facing language barriers. He commented: "I’ve been here for six months. I’m still adapting, I don’t speak English. I think when I start speaking English I’ll be comfortable in the group, I’ll start to understand more the things the players say to me.
"But the most important thing is that the players trust me and I can get this trust to show on the pitch. When I arrived here at Manchester City I was expecting to show my football but I didn’t know I would be able to show it so quickly."
