‘He’s spot on’, ‘Can’t argue with that’ – Man City fans react as De Bruyne makes Aston Villa comment in blast at Jack Grealish critics

Kevin De Bruyne has defended teammate Jack Grealish, explaining the difference in pressure between playing for Manchester City and Aston Villa.

A year on from Grealish’s £100million move to Man City and it hasn’t quite clicked yet. There was a feeling the 27-year-old would step up this term after a first season at the club that, while steady enough, did not live up to expectations on an individual level.

That is yet to happen and, even though injury has limited him to just one Premier League start this season, disquiet over his performances is growing with plenty questioning his selection in Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad.

The England star responded admirably during Man City’s 3-0 win over Wolves yesterday, putting in a top performance and the winger even grabbed himself a goal.

Pep Guardiola launched a strong defence of the player on Friday and De Bruyne has called for more patience, pointing out the move to Manchester was the first time Grealish had left his home city of Birmingham.

De Bruyne said: “If you start in the way we did it is an incentive to say: ‘OK I got a goal and am maybe a little more free in my mind to do what I need to do’.

“Sometimes as a football player there are periods you find the net easily and then there are other periods where it is a little bit harder. I think for him playing forward and to start this way makes it a little bit easier. Critics are there when you are a good player.

“If you set certain standards for yourself , everyone is going to measure you to these standards. He has been struggling with some pain and some injuries this year but he has been playing good to me. He started pre-season well and he was sharp but the second game at Bournemouth he did his ankle a bit. Be patient, I am not too worried. He is fine.

De Bruyne went ahead to explain the difference in pressure between playing for Manchester City and Aston Villa.

“With all due respect Jack was at Villa before and if you lose a game sometimes it is not the end of the world. But if we lose a game it is different. We have to perform every week and win games,” he added.

“That is the difference and what he has had to adjust to. There are also a lot of obstacles around with moving clubs and houses and whatever. But as long as we win the games and he is doing a good job for us, that is all that matters.”

These Guardiola’s comments were shared on Twitter by City Xtra and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s supporters.

“He’s not wrong”
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“He’s spot on dunno why people are crying about it.”
Credit: @kieran_hateley

“Can’t argue with that because he told the truth. When we had Jack the aim was to stay up then get mid table at City it’s to win titles the focus to perform every week is different. What KDB said is 💯 true”
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“He never denied that, the guy is spitting, that’s the difference, no one looked at grealish when he was villa week in week out with the same scrutiny that they do now, he has to perform every game here, not 1 very good game in a month like in villa”
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“Real talk, thats the difference between Grealish playing for Aston Villa and Grealish playing for man city, the ambitions are different losing at Aston Villa is normal but losing games at Manchester City is unacceptable base on the standards that has been set.”
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“Every time someone says with all due respect just know that the next thing that follows is a big disrespect.”
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“Ouch that one will stick for a while. Slightly arrogant comment there from KDB.”
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