In a match between two rigorously drilled systems, Manchester City’s £100m man provided a vital element of maverick flair
There were four minutes to play as Jack Grealish left the pitch. Manchester City were still deep in the boiler room, seeing out a 1-0 lead in a game they had for long periods dominated to a strangulating degree. But there was time still for a round of hand-clasps, back-pats and buttock slaps, the most significant from his replacement Raheem Sterling, who had sat for 85 minutes watching Grealish produce a quiet masterpiece on the flank that had been Sterling’s own private strip of turf for long periods last season.
There was nothing from Pep Guardiola, although Grealish did sneak an eager, lingering look at the maniacal figure in black, who was at that moment caught up with whirling his arms and barking out assorted thoughts, ideas, tweaks, fears, counter-theories.
