'Finally' - Jack Grealish seems to aim subtle dig at Pep Guardiola after picking up increasingly rare Man City minutes in FA Cup win at Bournemouth

Grealish may have subtly expressed his frustration with his lack of minutes at Manchester City after finally making an appearance in their 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final win over Bournemouth. The £100 million midfielder came off the bench in the second half, playing just 21 minutes - his first appearance since a brief outing against Tottenham on February 27.

Once a key figure, Grealish has now fallen down the pecking order, with just 605 minutes played in the Premier League this season. His lack of game time also resulted in him being left out of Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.

The former Aston Villa captain had been a regular starter in City’s FA Cup campaign, playing every minute in their victories over Salford, Leyton Orient, and Plymouth. However, in what was arguably their most crucial FA Cup clash yet, Grealish was benched against Bournemouth, signalling his continued struggle for game time.

Following his brief return to action, Grealish took to Instagram and posted: "Was nice to finally be back out there. Away support was incredible… Wembley next."

@jackgrealish Instagram

If his limited minutes persist, speculation about a summer exit could intensify, with reports already linking Grealish to clubs both in England and abroad. Moreover, with the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, Grealish, who turns 30 next September, will need consistent playing time if he hopes to secure a place in the squad for the tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the USA.