Jack Grealish has been urged to follow Raheem Sterling’s example if he’s to be a success at Manchester City.
The former Aston Villa star has struggled to make an impact at the Etihad since his £100 million move in the summer, scoring three goals and notching as many assists in 22 appearances this season.
At Villa, Grealish was central to everything they did on the pitch and the 26-year-old still seems to be adapting to being one of many stars at City.
Raheem Sterling found himself in a similar situation after his big money move from Liverpool in 2015, but after becoming more accustomed to Guardiola’s demands he took his game on to another level, and became a cornerstone in City’s recent success.
Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin believes Grealish needs to follow Sterling’s blueprint and develop other aspects of his game if he’s to be a success at the Etihad.
“He’s got to become a bit more cerebral, I’m not sure that’s Jack Grealish," Nevin told Off the Ball.
“It’s possible because I didn’t think Raheem Sterling would ever get it but he did under Pep.
“And Pep’s just look at him (Grealish) thinking: ‘it takes a while’
“You have to be up for it and you have to be understanding of what you need to do and what you need to add to your game, and some of the things you need to take away from your game as well.
“That’s what he’s going to have to take onboard.
“He’ll always be a very good player for Manchester City but will he be as important as David Silva’s been? Or (Kevin) De Bruyne? I’m not sure, the jury must still be out on that.”
Sign up to our City newsletter so you never miss an update from the Etihad Stadium this season.
