Jack Grealish hailed for display in Manchester City draw against RB Leipzig - 'Impossible to play against'
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Updated 23/02/2023 at 09:54 GMT
Manchester City could only come away from RB Leipzig with a 1-1 draw, but there was a bright light in the performance of Jack Grealish, who was labelled "unplayable" by both Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves in the BT Sport studio afterwards. Grealish assisted Riyad Mahrez for City's goal, and regularly kept Pep Guardiola's side on the front foot in the first leg of the last-16 clash.
'They are quicker & better than us' - Guardiola after 1-1 draw with Leipzig
Jack Grealish was hailed for his display in Manchester City's 1-1 Champions League draw against RB Leipzig, with Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves agreeing the England winger was "unplayable".
The last-16 first-leg tie saw City go ahead through Riyad Mahrez after 27 minutes, but they were pegged back in the second half by Josko Gvardiol's header.
Pep Guardiola looked frustrated on the touchline towards the end of the encounter, especially as his side looked to have good claims for a penalty late in the game, but he will likely have been heartened by how Grealish delivered on the big stage.
"He's such a fabulous player, Jack," former Manchester United midfielder Hargreaves began in the BT Sport studio.
"I think he's so used to maybe playing a certain way, he's such a good carrier of the ball.
"I think he's unplayable when he plays [like this]. I think if he does everything in one, two, three touches - I don't think you can stop him.
"When he makes his mind up to go do something, I think he's actually pretty much impossible to play against."
Ex-Man Utd defender Ferdinand concurred with Hargreaves' assessment while watching back some of Grealish's best moments from the game: "When he changes the rhythm of the game, slows it down, speeds up and then releases it, he's almost unplayable.
"It's when he plays one-paced, then you think actually he allows defenders to come across.
"He is a super talent, he's now starting to get goals and impact big games, so long may that continue for Jack."
Hargreaves believes Grealish's recent displays have convinced Guardiola of his worth in the City first XI.
"He's coming into form at a crucial moment and Pep trusts him, that's why he's playing in a game like this.
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LEIPZIG, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 22: Riyad Mahrez celebrates with Jack Grealish of Manchester City after scoring the team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 leg one match between RB Leipzig and Manchester City at Red Bull Arena on Februa
Image credit: Getty Images
"He's producing the goods and I don't think he put a foot wrong, so I think he'll be delighted."
The BT panel also dissected Gvardiol's equalising goal, which had a hint of a foul as he pushed his arms down on Ruben Dias' shoulders, but Hargreaves preferred to praise the Croatian's leap, while Ferdinand was critical of City's defence for the way they didn't deal with the ball in.
"That is an insane leap," Hargreaves said.
"I don't think it is a [foul], [even if] it looks it when you put a still [image] there."
Ferdinand, when asked if he would've wanted a foul had he been the defender underneath it, said: "I'd be more annoyed for myself for not getting up early and my body position being wrong."
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