‘I do stupid stuff’ – Grealish reacts to drunken Almiron jibe after seeing Newcastle star rediscover his spark

• Man City forward poked fun at Paraguayan
• Has seen Magpies forward star this season
• England ace sorry for making comment

WHAT HAPPENED? The Manchester City playmaker infamously took aim at the Paraguay international during alcohol-fuelled Premier League title celebrations at the end of the 2021-22 campaign. He said that Blues team-mates Riyad Mahrez had “played like Almiron” during a final day showdown with Aston Villa, only to see the man at the centre of that jibe deliver the perfect response to his critics in the current campaign by netting eight goals through 15 appearances in the top flight.

WHAT THEY SAID: Grealish admits that he was out of line and has saluted his domestic rival for staying classy in the face of provocation. The England forward, who is currently on 2022 World Cup duty, has said: “I haven’t actually been asked about that and let me just address it. It was the day after the season finished and obviously I’d had a few drinks and stuff. Straight after that…because I didn’t realise, we were out celebrating and I wasn’t on my phone on social media. And then I remember I was in Ibiza and it had obviously come out. That was one thing I regret. When I said earlier that sometimes I do stupid stuff, that was one.

“I regret that. I swear, I’m actually buzzing the way he’s reacted. He said something about me in the interview the other day, he wished me the best. I thought ‘what a guy man’ because if that was me and somebody had said that about me, I’d have probably been the other way. I’m actually buzzing for him, I’ve had a lot of stick off the Newcastle fans and rightly so. At the end of the day, they are backing their player which I fully understand. He seems like the most harmless, nice guy, so fair play, I’m buzzing for him.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: While Almiron has been in impressive form for Newcastle, Grealish – who remains the most expensive player in British football following his £100 million ($123m) transfer to City in the summer of 2021 - has been struggling to make an impact at the Etihad Stadium and has just one goal to his name from 16 appearances this season.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Grealish will be hoping to play some part for England in their World Cup last-16 encounter with Senegal on Sunday, while Almiron is counting down the days until Newcastle return to Carabao Cup action against Leicester on December 21.