Manchester City’s Jack Grealish has revealed that he embraces the fact he is targeted with fouls by most opposition sides.
The 26-year-old was signed by the Premier League champions for a British record fee of £100 million from Aston Villa last summer.
In his debut season at the Etihad Stadium, Grealish struggled for regular form and game time, making 39 appearances across all competitions but with a considerable number of these minutes coming from the bench.
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The England international did improve as the season went on and scored a vital goal against West Ham in a battling 2-2 stalemate to ensure City did not capitulate in their penultimate league game of the campaign.
Following another dramatic comeback on the final day of the season against his boyhood side, Manchester City were crowned Premier League champions for a fourth time in five seasons, handing Grealish his first league winner’s medal.
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Perhaps failing to hit the goal contribution numbers that were expected of him following his arrival at City, Grealish’s maiden campaign in Manchester was instead characterised by the large number of fouls against him.
It became a regular feature that City’s opponents in every competition would target the attacker and he would draw out fouls, winning set-pieces and thereby slowing down the tempo of play to his side’s advantage.
Yet in a surprising recent admission, Grealish himself has remarked that the constant attention from defenders and rough challenges do not faze him.
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Speaking after City’s 2-1 win against Club America in midweek, Grealish said: "I like it (getting kicked). Joao (Cancelo) said, ‘Why do you like it?’.
“I said, ‘I don't know’. I feel like I was more like that at Aston Villa, it gets me going and stuff, so I don't mind it at all.
“I get it at a lot of places now. I feel like I've just got to embrace it and prove them wrong.
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“I feel like I could have tonight (against Club America), I should have scored the one with my left foot in the second-half, but I'll try and save one for Saturday (against Bayern Munich).”
City earned a 1-0 win against Bayern Munich in the early hours of Sunday to round off their pre-season tour of the United States.
Erling Haaland got off the mark on his Manchester City debut after Jack Grealish squared the ball for the 22-year-old to tap home after just 12 minutes of play.
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Pep Guardiola’s side will soon return home and step up their preparations to face fierce rivals Liverpool in the FA Community Shield at the King Power Stadium next weekend.
Topics: Manchester City, Premier League, Jack Grealish, Aston Villa, Erling Haaland, Pep Guardiola
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Edward Burnett