Jack Grealish warned Pep Guardiola 'doesn't trust him anymore' as struggling Man City winger sees 'passion' for football called into question

Grealish has struggled for minutes at City this season, and has been limited to just six Premier League starts. As a result of his fall down the City pecking order, the former Aston Villa ace, who arrived at the Etihad in a £100 million ($129m) deal in 2021, missed out on Gareth Southgate's England squad for Euro 2024 and was also overlooked for Thomas Tuchel's first squad.

Now, Emmanuel Petit has claimed that Grealish has lost the trust of his manager, and has suggested that he must rediscover his love of the game if he is to find his way back into the Three Lions squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The former Arsenal midfielder believes he may have lost the hunger to do so, however.

Petit told pokerfirma.com:  "We know that he can show so much quality, but we haven’t seen it this season. I don't know what's happening with him because Pep Guardiola seems to keep him on the bench. He doesn't have any confidence in Grealish anymore, he doesn’t believe in him and he doesn’t trust him because he's not in the starting line-up for Manchester City. Jack’s in trouble with Pep Guardiola, but as well, he's out of the England team. He missed Euro 2024, and his international career is at a crossroads, his City career too."

He added: "Grealish needs to ask himself, can I get into the England team and represent my country at the World Cup if I continue to be a bit-part player at Manchester City? If you want to play for your national team, you have to compete every single week in the starting line-up, you need to show the quality that you have and your ability as a footballer on the grass, and Jack hasn’t been able to demonstrate his ability for months now. I don't know what's happening with him. Did he lose the passion for the game?

"His motivation is not there anymore. The solution is simple: look in the mirror and ask yourself, how do you want the remainder of your career to go. Look at yourself, first. Find the answer. He hasn’t shown the desire or the fight to be a first team player for Manchester City. He needs to get that back if he wants to keep playing at the highest level."

City face Leicester City on Wednesday evening before a derby clash with Manchester United this weekend. It remains to be seen if Grealish will be involved.