Pep Guardiola in awe of Jack Grealish’s commitment in pre-season.

Jack Grealish has had a fruitful pre-season after an underwhelming campaign with Manchester City last season that saw him getting dropped from England’s Euro 2024 squad earlier this summer. However, the winger has worked hard in the past few weeks and recently produced a stellar performance in the club’s pre-season friendly against Barcelona.

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 28-year-old’s aggression and commitment on the pitch has caught the eye of manager Guardiola who heaped praise on the player. However, the Catalan coach also insisted that his place in the club’s starting lineup in the upcoming season will depend on his consistency throughout the campaign.

• WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

  Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the manager said, “What I’ve seen so far here, one week in the pre-season on tour, I loved it. I don’t care how he performs, it’s every session his commitment and his trying, against Barcelona he made five or six shots, he was aggressive with the ball, that’s all, after that, his quality will do the rest.

  “I know he’ll be a father soon and we’re so happy for that. All I ask of the players is that – you like to play football, yes, so play. Hopefully, he can sustain it until the end of the season and like the rest compete with everyone for one place in the starting XI, that depends on him. What I see in behaviours, in training and how you’re performing, as well as you do the more chance you have.”