Pep Guardiola has backed Jack Grealish to play a big role again this season despite his lack of game time of late.
The England winger suffered a dead leg injury earlier this season which forced him to miss the games against Fulham and West Ham and has been named on the bench for each of the last four Premier League games.
Grealish played a pivotal part of the treble-winning team last season and the City manager says he has no doubts that he will be crucial once again this campaign.
“Everybody knows he is in competition so he has to fight with his mates, to fight against the opponent,” Guardiola said.
“It is strange. You are competitors and enemies during the week and then you have to be brothers.
“Jack competes with Phil (Foden) and Jérémy (Doku). I’m calm and confident that he will be again an incredibly important player for us.”
“I don’t have not one second, piece or doubt about Jack and his quality and what he has done for us since he arrived two years ago, and especially last season.
“It’s difficult when in your first season you don’t play all the games and then in the second, he played a lot, not just in the Champions League but the treble.
“He was decisive and gave us something unique – the power, strength, mentality.
“But right now, he has the rhythm and the injury was long. The doctor said he had never seen a knock like that in that position from a long time ago.
“He started the season a little bit late and when the restart happened he had a big impact against Sheffield United, after one month off.
“When you’re one month off he needs rhythm – he’s not like Phil or Bernardo who need two or three training sessions to be ready.
“But we need him. He’s incredibly focused to get back and we’re going to use him and we believe he will help us. He knows and everyone knows there is competition.”
