Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has defended Jack Grealish’s performances for the team since he joined from Aston Villa.
Grealish became the most expensive British player ever when the Premier League champions signed him for £100 million last season.
The 27-year-old was taken off against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in midweek, as he failed to have any impact on the match.
But Guardiola came out fighting for him ahead of Saturday’s Premier League trip to Wolves, insisting that Grealish was not getting enough support from his team-mates.
“In the last game, he was the only one up front who made aggressive runs, one against one. But to make assists, he didn’t have his teammates in the box so we left him isolated.
“When he went against the full-back, only Erling (Haaland) was there. (Ilkay) Gundogan was not there, Kevin (De Bruyne) was not there and they should have been. In the first half, we didn’t make any movements to help the players who had the ball and give him possibilities to make it easier,” Guardiola said.
Grealish has scored three goals and provided only three assists across his 28 Premier League appearances for City.
At Villa, he was their talisman, making 32 goal contributions in his last 62 Premier League matches over two campaigns.
But Guardiola said: “We didn’t sign him for the incredible goals or assists.
“It was another reason and when he plays he does it. I want (him) to make goals and I want assists and he does, too.”
