Guardiola calls on Grealish to ‘fight’ and earn his place back from ‘better’ Savinho | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has called on Jack Grealish to “fight” for his place with Savinho and admits the young Brazilian is “in better shape” than the £100m pound man.

The appeal from the Manchester City manager came after another standout display from Savinho, who provided two superb assists for Erling Haaland in their 4-1 win over West Ham on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Grealish did not enter the action until the 84th minute, by which point the game was already decided.

The England international has returned just a solitary league assist for City so far this season, in what is threatening to be a second consecutive underwhelming and injury hampered season.

Simultaneously, 20-year-old Savinho, who came from Girona for £30 million in July, has now registered three assists and a goal in his last two Premier League matches.

“Now Savinho is in better shape and everything than Jack (Grealish). And that is why I played Savinho.” Guardiola explained. “Savinho’s delivery in the box is higher than maybe the other wingers in that position.”

Hoping to inspire more from the wide player, Guardiola continued: “And they have to fight. You can say ‘Oh, now it’s unfair.’ Okay, if you decide to think like that, it’s fine. You have to prove (yourself). ‘Okay, I’m going to fight with Savinho to deserve to play in that position.’ And every single day, and every single week, and every single month.

“Is there someone in this room that thinks right now Savinho doesn’t deserve to play? No. He deserves (to) so that’s why I played him, because he produced.

“I would love to play football. I was a brilliant football player, you don’t remember that. I would like to play but I can’t, I don’t perform well so I cannot.”

The English international has not always found it easy at City following his big money move from boyhood club Aston Villa in 2021, and the 29-year-old failed to register a goal for the champions during the whole calendar year of 2024.

Guardiola maintains his faith in him though: “I know he can do it because I saw him (Grealish), I saw him. I saw your level and I want that, every single training session and every single game.

“(Grealish) was injured again two weeks ago. He needs rhythm and to play, in training sessions and games.

“I don’t have any doubts about the quality of Jack (Grealish) or any of the players, they would not be here. But they have to be at their best. It is not about what they have done or what they will do, it is about 3pm today.

The reigning champions have returned to winning ways in their last two matches and Guardiola is confident his team will keep improving: “We will do it, we will be back again, I want to fight. I want to try to deliver to make them (the fans) proud.

“They (the players) want to try to do it, I know they want to do it, my players I know them perfectly, almost all of them they want to do it.”