Latest Jack Grealish cameo shows why he needs to find a way out of Man City this summer

Manchester City held a three-goal advantage and there were only three minutes of standard time remaining before decided to send into the game against at the Etihad. But there was still time for Grealish to provide another snapshot of his struggles, hesitating when presented with a first-time shooting chance and making a hash of an attempt at a fancy assist.

In the grand scheme of things, of course, it did not matter a jot. The job was done for And if Grealish was not in prime form for his brief appearance, who could blame him?

It was the 12th occasion Grealish had been used as a Premier League substitute this season and only once in those appearances has he been sent on earlier than the 71st minute. He has started only seven Premier League games. The last three of those Premier League starts have come across a period in excess of five months.

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In the Premier League this season, he has been an unused substitute eight times. And when Guardiola announced the team for the Palace game, Grealish’s mood must have darkened a little.

There were changes to the starting line-up that had been fairly insipid in the Manchester derby but it was the likes of Rico Lewis, Nico Gonzalez and, significantly, James McAtee who were promoted from the bench. McAtee scored, should have had another couple and, as an attacking midfielder, generally looked a lot more threatening than Grealish has for some time.

There is a reasonable argument to suggest that Guardiola - when he uses Grealish - should take a fair portion of the blame for that, using the England man in a role that limits his adventure. But it can only be assumed that, in his performances on the training ground, Grealish is not making a compelling case for a more pivotal role in Guardiola’s teams.

Having finally returned to fitness, Oscar Bobb, who came on five minutes earlier than Grealish did on Saturday, will soon be making a good case for a starting spot. The annoying thing for Grealish must be that he knows he has the ability and skill-set to be a key operator under Guardiola. With Kevin de Bruyne leaving, Grealish could play a bigger role in supplying Erling Haaland with opportunities.

But the stark numbers show Grealish has managed only two assists in the Premier League over the past two seasons, to go with four goals. Having been left out of Thomas Tuchel’s first squad, Grealish knows that his chances of going to the World Cup finals in the summer of 2026 will depend on a strong, consistent run of games next season.

And while you can never second-guess Guardiola’s selections and frequently-changing preferences, it looks fairly clear that Grealish is not one of his go-to players. The 29-year-old is a wonderful player, a smashing guy, and has two years left on his Etihad contract.

But, one way or another, he needs to find a way out in the summer. We need to see more of Jack Grealish playing great football, not making forgettable cameos at the end of games that have long since been settled. He is better than that.

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