Jack Grealish was 19 years old and just a few minutes into his Aston Villa debut when he was given a close-up glimpse of the kind of brilliance that Manchester City have come to expect from their midfielders.
Grealish was sent on as a late substitute at the Etihad in May 2014, with Villa trailing 3-0 and City on the verge on a victory that would virtually guarantee them the title when Yaya Toure collected possession deep inside his own half as the clock ticked into the 93rd minute. Eight seconds later, the ball was in the back of Brad Guzan’s net again - put there by Toure after a trademark burst that had taken him clear of a posse of Villa defenders.
Grealish was one of those hot on the Ivorian’s heels. Film footage shows a youngster who was more frail than the muscular specimen he is today. But the Brummie is still instantly recognisable because of the way his socks are hitched up just above his calves. Grealish was utterly powerless to stop Toure as he capped a sensational season by scoring his 24th goal of the campaign.
