Pep Guardiola explains the reason why Jack Grealish was excluded from the Manchester City squad vs. Manchester United in the Community Shield match

United’s penalty shootout loss in the FA Community Shield was precipitated by an injury.

Given that Grealish was a consistent performer for City during the preseason, it appeared that he would get the start against Erik ten Hag’s team.

Nevertheless, Jeremy Doku was instructed to assume the left-wing position immediately as a result of the £100 million man’s injury.

Conversely, Manchester City’s matchday squad did not include the Englishman.

The 28-year-old experienced numerous ailments during the previous season, and he was once again struck by misfortune prior to the Manchester Derby.

Guardiola discloses the severity of the most recent Grealish injury.

Grealish intended to disprove his doubters prior to City’s preseason loss to Barcelona; a statement he made prior to a game in which he subsequently scored.

The former Aston Villa attacker would have been eager to establish himself against the Red Devils after impressing with his performances in the United States.

Nevertheless, that was not to be the case for the three-time Premier League champion.

The positive development for Manchester City is that Pep Guardiola has disclosed that Grealish’s injury is not of a severe nature.

Guardiola stated, via HaytersTV, that Grealish’s exclusion from the Community Shield was not a significant concern, but he was unable to attend.

Additionally, the Catalan stated, “It is a minor setback, as he maintained a consistent rhythm and was assertive throughout the preseason.” Savinho was also in training for two to three days, while Jeremy Doku was on holiday. He was particularly impressive in the third or fourth game.

Pep Guardiola subsequently stated that Grealish is certain to be in the mix for a role against Ipswich Town, despite the possibility that he may be able to play against Chelsea.

So, it is what it is; it occurs frequently during the season. Do your best to evaluate any discomfort or injuries that may be present. This is the reason we refrained from taking a chance. It is possible that he will be prepared for Chelsea, and I am confident that he will be prepared for Ipswich Town.

Guardiola suggested that Grealish could have been sidelined for an extended period if a gamble was taken with his injury.

“Alternatively, he has been injured for the past three to four weeks and is currently unable to perform his duties.”

Jack Grealish should not be rushed, despite the impending Chelsea contest.
In order to participate in Manchester City’s inaugural match of the 2024/2025 Premier League season against a top-tier team such as Chelsea, Grealish would presumably be assessed for match fitness.

However, it would be in the best interest of both the England international and City to avoid pressuring him to return to full fitness.

In order to recover from a disappointing third season at the Etihad Stadium, Grealish will need to be in good health.

Pep Guardiola will be particularly dependent on the decorated winger, as the likes of Savinho and Jeremy Doku will be working their way back to full match fitness after being granted prolonged summer breaks.

Consequently, the primary objective should be to guarantee that Grealish is completely recovered, rather than to compel him to be available, which could potentially exacerbate his injury.