Jack Grealish pinpoints when he felt he gained Pep Guardiola’s trust at Man City as he says he ‘started to feel the love’ off manager after the World Cup 

• Jack Grealish joined Manchester City from Aston Villa for £100m in 2021
• The Englishman had a slow start but is now a key member of the team 
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Jack Grealish believes he gained Pep Guardiola’s trust over the second-half of last season.

Grealish had a somewhat difficult start to life at City following his £100million move in the summer of 2021.

He contributed just three goals and three assists in his debut campaign, leading some to question his output.

His second started similarly but he would become a central figure after the World Cup as City went on an incredible run and won a historic treble.

Speaking on the club’s podcast, the playmaker spoke on when he first felt he had truly won over Guardiola.

Jack Grealish (R) has pinpointed the moment where he felt he gained Pep Guardiola’s (L) trust

Grealish said: ‘I’m a big confidence player, I want to feel loved. I came back from the World Cup and my first game was against Leeds and I should have scored at least two goals in the first half and at half-time, I was dwelling on that. But in the second half, I made two assists for Erling.’

He added: ‘A week later, I was on the bench at Chelsea, as me and Riyad [Mahrez] came on at the same time and I got another assist for his goal. After that, I just seemed to get some more goal involvements.

‘I felt I was playing well in myself, too, and the manager was picking me in the big games like for Arsenal in the FA Cup and Arsenal in the Premier League, Tottenham and so on. 

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Grealish played a huge role as City went on an incredible run and completed the treble 

‘I was feeling the love off Pep – not because he’d said so, but because he was playing me in all those big games.

‘It’s okay the manager going; ‘You’re so important to the team, Jack’ – then not picking you. Then you’d think; ‘Yeah, you’re just saying that’. Pep didn’t say anything at all, but he picked me for the big games, and that said everything.’

Grealish’s start to this season has been hampered by a hamstring issue but he is now back in full training.

Speaking after Wednesday’s Champions League game, Guardiola said he expects him to make his return in seven to 10 days.

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