Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has confirmed Jack Grealish likely suffered a recurrence of his groin injury during the side’s 6-2 win over Luton in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Erling Haaland made history with five goals in tonight’s all-Premier League affair to book City’s place in the quarter-finals, but Grealish’s latest setback will have taken some of the gloss off the victory for the holders.
Grealish, 28, picked up a groin problem in City’s Champions League win at Copenhagen earlier this month and was a surprise selection on the bench versus Bournemouth after missing two games.
The winger, City’s all-time record signing, was an unused substitute at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, but returned to Guardiola’s starting XI for this evening’s fifth round clash with Luton.
On the eve of the tie, Guardiola warned Grealish ‘the team doesn’t wait at a high level’ and the England international will have been desperate to impress at Kenilworth Road.
However, it proved another painful night for Grealish, with the 28-year-old managing just 38 minutes before being replaced by Jeremy Doku, while last year’s treble winners were two goals in front.
Grealish looked distraught after being forced off, with pictures showing the the former Aston Villa man on the substitutes bench with a training top draped over his face.
Asked whether Grealish’s issue was a recurrence of his groin problem, Guardiola told ITV Sport: ‘It looks like that, yeah. Sad.
‘It’s the second time. Hopefully this time he can recover well.’
City play host to bitter rivals Manchester United on Sunday and it looks unlikely Grealish will be able to feature, unless his injury at Luton is not as bad as first feared.
Grealish was one of City’s standout players in their 3-0 win at Old Trafford at the end of October, when a brace from Haaland and Phil Foden’s late strike sealed bragging rights in the derby.
Speaking to ITV Sport after City’s thumping win at Luton, Guardiola applauded his players for securing victory at such a ‘tough’ place and reserved special praise for Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne – who assisted four of the Norwegian’s five goals.
‘Erling was on fire and with Kevin the connection was perfect,’ the City manager said in his post-match interview.
‘We got the space in behind and it was a really good game so here is a tough place to come, I know exactly what I’m talking about and, yeah, we’re in the quarter-finals.’
Asked whether his City side go up a level with both Haaland and De Bruyne in the team, Guardiola replied: ‘Yes, definitely.
‘The connection they have. Erling needs a player like Kevin and Kevin needs the movement from Erling.
‘But not just that, everyone else was really, really good.’
More to follow.
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