Pep Guardiola urges Jack Grealish to follow Savinho’s example to earn back Manchester City place
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The young Brazilian starred against West Ham to plunge Grealish further down the pecking order on the wing. Pep Guardiola has told Jack Grealish that he has to fight with Savinho and make goal contributions like the Brazilian if he wants to get back into the Manchester City team.
![[Savinho impressed in Manchester City’s win over West Ham]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/04/18/2192394304.jpg)
The £100m signing was only a substitute in City’s 4-1 win over West Ham on Saturday as Savinho starred, with his shot leading to Vladimir Coufal’s own goal before the Brazilian set up both of Erling Haaland’s brace. Savinho has one goal and three assists in his last two matches after Guardiola switched him to the left flank, Grealish’s usual role.
The England international has struggled to find form consistently during the last year-and-a-half and Guardiola hopes he can return to the level of performance he produced in their treble-winning season of 2022-23. He said: “As much as he looks at himself, he will see the competition and he has to compete. Savinho is in better shape and everything than Jack and that’s why I played Savinho. I want the Jack that won the treble? Yeah, I want it. But I try to be honest with myself for that.”.
Grealish has not scored for City since 2023 and only has two assists in all competitions this season and Guardiola drew a contrast with Savinho’s productivity. The Brazilian scored his first City goal at Leicester and has the most assists for City this season, with seven.
“Against Everton he was brilliant and at Leicester he made the first goal and [Saturday] made a goal and two unbelievable assists, the second goal from the beginning, that is top. So that’s why he played,” said Guardiola. “Savinho deserves [it]. He plays because he produces.
