If the statistics themselves tell a sad story of Jack Grealish's struggles at Manchester City, Pep Guardiola's words after the win over West Ham were even more poignant.
"Savinho is in better form and everything better than Jack Grealish. Does anyone in this room think Savinho doesn't deserve to play right now? No. Do I want Grealish to return to his treble-winning form? Yes, I want it," said the Spanish strategist.
Since winning that treble, Grealish's record at the Etihad has been nothing short of sensational, scoring three goals and providing three assists in 36 appearances in all competitions last season.
The England striker has yet to score and has two assists in 19 appearances this season. Grealish last scored for The Citizens on December 16, 2023. So, how will Grealish fare after Guardiola's criticism?
This is like a final "blow" from Guardiola in his attempt to revive Grealish. He has tried to show love, affection and patience with Grealish for a long time.
However, when Guardiola said he wanted the Treble-winning Grealish back, the Spaniard implicitly suggested the 29-year-old's standards had dropped. After all, as a coach, Guardiola had nothing to lose in this situation.
However, there are many opinions that Guardiola has drained Grealish's creativity and freedom. He has turned a dynamic player into a "robot", sapping Grealish's true instincts. All of that may be true, but only to a certain extent.
In the same role, other players have shown more sophistication and efficiency than Grealish. So why does Guardiola have to keep trusting Grealish? Moreover, about a year ago when he was still playing regularly, the 29-year-old player did not leave much of an impression.
So, Grealish should seriously consider a move. The question is which club is willing to match what Grealish is getting at Man City? And can they afford to pay the Citizens a huge sum? Remember, the reigning Premier League champions spent £100m to bring Grealish to the Etihad.
Grealish turns 30 this year and needs to be guaranteed playing time in the latter stages of his career. It's clear that Grealish won't go into details about his thoughts, but it's understandable...
