Pep Guardiola has come under fire for his management of Jack Grealish at Manchester City, with former teammate Shay Given claiming the England international is being played out of position.
Despite Manchester City’s struggles this season, Grealish has featured sparingly, starting just once in the last three matches after returning from a month-long injury absence.
The 29-year-old has often shown glimpses of his ability at the Etihad, but his inconsistency has been largely attributed to Guardiola’s tactics, with the winger rarely getting a permanent starting spot. Grealish’s standout moments this campaign came while playing centrally for England under interim manager Lee Carsley, where he scored in games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.
Given, who played alongside Grealish at Aston Villa, voiced his surprise at how the midfielder is being used at City. Speaking on BBC’s Football Daily, he explained: “I know I’m biased because I played with Jack at Villa, but I think he’s being wasted on the left wing at Man City. He’s like a mannequin at times, and I feel sorry for him.”
Given reflected on Grealish’s central role for England, highlighting his significant impact in that position. “I was watching him play for England two months ago, and he was monumental,” he said. “I think he’s a generational talent going to waste at Man City.”
Despite Grealish’s lack of a starting role, City’s struggles continue. Their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday marked their seventh consecutive game without a win across all competitions. Guardiola is focused on ending the winless streak with a match against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, but he made it clear that the team’s immediate goal isn’t the Premier League title.
“We’re not even thinking about the title right now,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference. “We need to focus on beating a team close to us and getting closer to the top four. We need to improve consistency and take it step by step.”
Guardiola also praised Liverpool for their impressive form and emphasized that City must concentrate on winning games to regain momentum.