Pep Guardiola defends Jack Grealish but insists goals and assists must come for Manchester City | OneFootball

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has issued a passionate defence of Jack Grealish, but did admit that the England international must weigh in with goals and assists.

Comments from the 53-year-old head coach came after Jack Grealish put in a strong performance in the third round of the FA Cup as Manchester City cruised past the challenge of Salford City at the Etihad Stadium.

A hat-trick from James McAtee stole the headlines in an 8-0 rout over the League Two side, while there was also strong praise for Jeremy Doku and his brace, as well as Divin Mubama and Nico O’Reilly’s first senior goals for the club.

But Jack Grealish also shrugged off the doubters to put in a composed performance, including a strike from the penalty spot to score his first goal for Manchester City since December 16 2023 in a 2-2 home draw with Crystal Palace.

Speaking during a recent press conference, Pep Guardiola was quizzed on the importance of Grealish’s goal against Salford City in the FA Cup – the England international’s first for Manchester City in well over a calendar year.

“Of course (it was a big deal). And he assisted the last one for (James) McAtee. I know he’s a player that doesn’t do that, but of course hopefully it can help him because of course, when the players who play up front, they have to deliver,” Guardiola pointed out.

“But not just him; (Jeremy) Doku, and Savinho, and Erling Haaland, and Kevin (De Bruyne) when he plays there, and Bernardo (Silva) when he plays there, and (Ilkay) Gundo when he plays there – they have to score goals, and assists, and goals, and assists, and goals!”

Pep Guardiola continued, “Otherwise if you rely just on the goals of Erling Haaland, it’s impossible. The biggest clubs who win championships, the reason was the strikers score – Sergio (Aguero), Gabriel (Jesus), also Riyad (Mahrez), Leroy (Sane), Raheem (Sterling), Gundogan.

“It was a lot of players scoring a lot of goals, and we need that. Otherwise we cannot sustain.”

The Manchester City coach was further asked whether a lack of goalscoring form for Jack Grealish had affected the 29-year-old’s confidence and performances over the last 12 months, to which he responded, “Of course I am really pleased. I want the best for my players!

“All of them! I want them to perform well, I want it, and if it helps him I’m more than pleased. There is no other person I can be. But at the end, they have to deliver; but not just him. It’s not to point at Jack (Grealish), absolutely, it’s many years I’ve said that.”

Guardiola was keen to issue further praise on the former Aston Villa captain, insisting upon the importance of Grealish in the past for the club as he said, “I saw him in the year of the Treble for example, he was a main, main player for us, but after that he has more or less two options; think about it’s me, or think about what I can do better.

“Not just Jack, EVERYONE. Because I know what’s their best, all the players that we have here, I know their best. It helped us to win what we won, but that is the reality.”