Manchester City winger Jack Grealish has revealed how he tried to get into the head of Bukayo Saka with "banter" during the latter stages of last season's Premier League title race.
For much of the 2022/23 campaign, Arsenal would sit pretty at the Premier League summit. In fact, at one stage, the Gunners held an eight point lead over their title rivals.
Mikel Arteta's side would eventually crumble in the final weeks but even in March, there was a sizeable gap between them and nearest rivals Manchester City.
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Towards the end of March, a number of Arsenal players, including Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale, would leave their base in North London to join up with the England squad.
A group of City players would also join the previously mentioned ahead of EURO qualifiers against Ukraine and Italy.
And here in camp, both Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker would try and play some mind games with Saka amid the Premier League title race.
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Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Sunday's game between Arsenal and Manchester City, Grealish opened up his antics as he sat alongside Erling Haaland in the studio.
Here's how the conversation went down:
Haaland: "How much banter have you had with your Arsenal/England teammates about winning the league? So for example, after you won the treble, you went to the national team..."
Grealish: "Afterwards, it was bit of a sore point for them, I think. I didn't want to say too much."
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Haaland: "Before, when we were five points behind them, they didn't want to speak much about it. I remember Odegaard was a little bit like... he wouldn't speak. They probably got told by [Mikel] Arteta to not speak too much with us."
Grealish: "I remember in the March camp. Me and [Kyle] Walker kept saying to Saks... we'd shake his hand and he was like, 'What you shaking my hand for?' We were saying, 'Well done. You've already won the league.'
Emma Saunders [presenter]: "How did he take that?"
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Grealish: "He was just laughing. We play them at the weekend. I'm not going to be messaging him on Saturday night trying to banter him because that's when you're in your own zone and you're in your own space. You take stuff seriously but at the time, Erling will tell you, I like a laugh and a joke and stuff and I do it with everyone here."
Grealish continues: "I get on really well with Sacks and Declan [Rice], who is there now. When we're away, there's always time for banter and stuff. Yeah, me and Walker were just saying to him, 'Congratulations, you've won the league.' He was just like, 'Shut up, stop trying to get in my head.'
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Saka is expected to feature for Arsenal in Sunday's Premier League clash against Manchester City, despite hobbling off with an injury in their Europa League clash against Lens.
Topics: Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland, Manchester City, Premier League
Jack Kenmare