Jack Grealish finds new lease of life at Everton after Manchester City struggles | OneFootball

For the best part of a year, Jack Grealish (30) has been absent from the England set-up. Today, as he turns 30, the winger could hardly have delivered a more emphatic reminder of his quality. With four assists already in the opening weeks of the Premier League season, twice as many as he managed in his last two full campaigns combined, Grealish looks reborn at Everton, and an international recall under Thomas Tuchel in October suddenly feels inevitable.

The transformation has been startling. Since his loan switch from Manchester City, Grealish has rediscovered the dynamism and inventiveness that once made him Aston Villa’s talisman. His early form has provided Everton with both incision and unpredictability, fuelling hopes of a season of genuine progress under David Moyes.

The manager himself has been quick to deflect credit. “It’s nothing to do with me, it’s all to do with Jack and his own mentality to be better,” Moyes said after the victory over Wolves. “What Jack gives us is something just on the edge, hopefully on the edge of creativity and goals.”

Why is Grealish flourishing at Everton?

At Manchester City, Grealish often struggled to replicate the form that persuaded Pep Guardiola’s side to trigger his £100m release clause at Aston Villa. Over his final two seasons in sky blue, he managed only two league assists, a return that left him exposed to criticism. Already at Everton, the transformation is stark: four assists in just three games. The difference lies in philosophy. As Mark Carey of The Athletic observed, City valued control and ball retention above all else, while David Moyes encourages directness and risk. Grealish has embraced that shift, thriving with greater freedom on the left flank, where his knack for drawing defenders and winning fouls continues to set him apart.

Already, he has become Everton’s chief conduit for chance creation. Against Wolves, his willingness to take defenders on and look for penetrative passes epitomised a more adventurous approach. It is the kind of football that suits him, less about meticulous build-up, more about instinct, improvisation, and seizing space.

For opponents, Grealish remains a constant dilemma. Step off and he has the vision to punish; get too tight and he wins dangerous free-kicks, a weapon Everton have long exploited with their set-piece proficiency. That blend of flair and nuisance has quickly made him indispensable.

For Grealish, this renaissance feels like more than just a bright start. After years of scrutiny at Manchester City, he is back doing what comes naturally: entertaining, creating, and carrying the fight. If his form continues, both Everton and England stand to reap the benefits.

GFN | Finn Entwistle