Jamie Carragher thinks that Jack Grealish is partly responsible for Miguel Almiron's incredible up-turn in form after the Newcastle United attacker struck once again on Sunday.
The Paraguay international scored his sixth goal of the season as the Magpies ran out 2-1 winners over Tottenham Hotspur to stretch their unbeaten run to six matches. It was a result that lifted Eddie Howe's side into the top-four as Newcastle continued their impressive start to the campaign.
But it was Almiron who stole the show at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as he found the net for the fifth time this month - a truly remarkable record for a player that was being written off at the end of last season. Almiron's finish against Spurs showed someone who is playing at the top of his game, with the winger dribbling past Clement Lenglet, before calmly slotting the ball beyond Hugo Lloris.
The 28-year-old's pace was frightening as he bamboozled the Spurs defender and he is putting himself in contention for the Premier League Player of the Month award. However, former Liverpool defender Carragher reckons that Grealish has motivated Almiron to improve his game.
"The form this man is in is absolutely scintillating," Carragher during his co-commentary for Sky Sports. "It comes from Lloris again, it's not a great pass out wide but Almiron just goes past Lenglet like he's not there. The goalkeeper throws his arms out again but he should do better Hugo.
"The confidence this lad has got now, he wouldn’t have done that last season. No doubt about it.
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"He just opens his body up and finds that far corner after showing the strength initially but the confidence to go past the defender and open it up. This fella is a different player and the man that’s motivated it is not just Eddie Howe, it's Jack Grealish."
Grealish sent a subtle dig at Almiron following City's title win after he claimed that Riyad Mahrez "played like Almiron" in their 3-2 win over Aston Villa. The 27-year-old made the comments after Mahrez struggled in their victory at the Etihad Stadium as City limped their fourth Premier League title in five seasons.
He said: "There were two secrets… number one, Riyad, taking him off the pitch, as soon as possible. He played like Almiron yesterday…"
Perhaps fittingly, it is a jibe has not aged particularly well for the City man over the past six months. Grealish has started just four of City's league games this term and has only completed the full 90 minutes once for Pep Guardiola's side.
Notably, he wasn't called upon in their biggest game of the season so far, the 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. In actual fact, Almiron has now scored more goals in October than Grealish has in the Premier League for City since joining for £100million from Aston Villa last summer.
