Jack Grealish has become ‘PREDICTABLE’ in Pep Guardiola’s Man City side, claims Troy Deeney, but believes Liverpool are also easy to read, and may allow him to play
- Troy Deeney claims Jack Grealish and Manchester City have become predictable
- But Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are also easy to read and can make Grealish play
- It all starts: Jack Grealish has lost his zip… we need him to get it back
Troy Deeney has claimed that Jack Grealish has become ‘predictable’ as part of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City set-up, but this is not necessarily a bad thing.
Deeney, 35, is currently player-coach for League Two Forest Green Rovers and made his name in the Premier League with Watford between 2015 and 2022.
He believes that while Man City have become easy to read, they can still cause problems for Liverpool when the top two sides meet at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon.
Deeney told The Sun: ‘Manchester City are a largely predictable team to play against under Pep Guardiola: they press high, keep possession around the edge of the penalty area and look for cuts and late runs.
‘The easy thing is to emphasize that. The hardest thing in the world is stopping it, and Jack is no different.
Troy Deeney claims Jack Grealish and Manchester City have become predictable
Former Watford striker Deeney is currently player-coach at League Two Forest Green Rovers
“When he’s going and cutting those one-twos, he’s unstoppable.”
This season, however, Deeney claims 28-year-old Grealish ‘looks a bit off’ despite being ‘a victim of his own success’, in addition to being hampered by injuries and adapting to a change in role.
The former Watford and Walsall striker said: “Jack has had to make changes under Pep. Some will say he has changed for the worse. He no longer takes people out for fun, but instead looks for the pass inside.
‘But I actually see it as a compliment from Pep. He thinks Jack is smart enough to do that.”
Part of that change is due to the injury-related absence of Kevin De Bruyne and the competition from Jeremy Doku.
Deeney added: “Jeremy Doku has come in and now has the fire in his belly and the motivation to keep Jack out of the team.”
He believes Liverpool can ‘be just as predictable’, aiming high and giving Grealish space to do his thing whether he starts or comes off the bench.
Deeney considers whether Grealish’s playing style would suit Liverpool’s fast counter-attacking style better than the Citizens’, before adding: ‘We all know how Jurgen Klopp plays and I don’t think Jack is fast enough to even play for Liverpool start, right? now.’
Liverpool will take top spot from Grealish’s Man City if they can end the hosts’ dominance at the Etihad and take all three points on Saturday afternoon.
Competition from Jeremy Doku has also increased the pressure on Grealish this season