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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised the performance of Jack Grealish after playing an hour in his first game back from injury in Tuesday’s 4-0 Champions League win at Sevilla.
Grealish had not played since City’s 4-0 Premier League win over Bournemouth on August 13 due to a minor injury.
The pressure is on the 26-year-old England international, who underwhelmed in his first season at City after joining from Aston Villa in August last year for £100million.
Grealish played 38 times, scoring six goals in all competitions last season for City, but did not live up to the expectations of his hefty transfer fee, nor play with his typical freedom.
The midfielder started and played 62 minutes against Sevilla, and while he did not score or provide an assist, Guardiola was delighted with his return.
“Jack arrived incredible in the pre-season,” Guardiola said at the post-game press conference.
“In the first game against West Ham unfortunately he had a little injury. It’s important for him to have again this 53, 60 minutes.”
“The pitch was uncomfortable for the players. He was so aggressive in the first half, more than aggressive than Phil [Foden] in terms of goal and making the movements in there.
“Sometimes missed the last pass but it’s not easy there. We need him a lot this season. Jack will be so important. He played a really good game.”
Guardiola was also rapt with the debut of deadline-day signing Manuel Akanji, who only joined team training earlier this week following his move from Borussia Dortmund.
“We are delighted, just training one day and a half with us,” Guardiola said.
“He showed in Dortmund his experience in Europe. A really, really good central defender that City bought to us.
“He played really well, his focus, attention. He has a quality quite similar to Aymer [Laporte], he can break the lines with a pass. He read the spaces really well. I am very pleased for him.”
Erling Haaland grabbed two of City’s four goals, taking his season tally to 12 since his move from Dortmund.
“I think his numbers in his career, not just here, in previous teams is quite similar,” Guardiola told BT Sport. “He has an incredible sense of goal.”
Haaland became the first City player to score on both his Premier League debut and Champions League debut for the club.
The 22-year-old is also the fastest player to 25 goals in Champions League history, coming across 20 games, bettering Ruud van Nistelrooy and Filippo Inzaghi’s mark of 30 games.
