Jack’s first professional penalty Pep had planned to sub Kyle
In the aftermath of England’s heartbreaking Euro 2020 final defeat in the summer, Jack Grealish was one of the first players to break their silence.
“I said I wanted to take one !!!! ,” Grealish wrote on social media in reply to criticism from ITV pundit Roy Keane, who had questioned why Grealish had allowed younger players Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka to step up before himself.
“The gaffer has made so many right decisions through this tournament and he did tonight! But I won’t have people say that I didn’t want to take a peno when I said I will...”
Grealish has a strange relationship with Gareth Southgate, from the outside at least, with his talent obvious but opportunities restricted at international level.
During the summer, he was largely used as a substitute, and despite featuring in all England fixtures since the Euros, he has completed 90 minutes just once, and was first to be substituted in the most recent draw with Hungary.
Incredibly, this was Grealish’s first professional penalty in a competitive game, with his only other spot-kick coming for Aston Villa under-23s in 2016. Maybe that was why Southgate snubbed him at Wembley in the summer.
Now, though, he will have hoped Southgate was watching for future shoot-outs, and his penalty will also serve as a reminder to Guardiola of the quality and character he has signed. If any doubts were creeping in over Grealish’s ability to produce big moments, he put those to bed, and maybe he will be in contention to take more penalties for City given their troubles in that area in recent seasons.
And for all the opposition fans insistent on jeering Grealish’s every kick and waiting for the £100m man to show himself to be a waste of money, it must have been satisfying to silence that notion and send a reminder that he deserves to be on the highest stage.
As Guardiola has cautioned, Grealish has been signed for five or six years at City, and shouldn’t be
judged on his early performances. More moments of quality and composure like he displayed on Wednesday, though, and it can only benefit his chances for club and country going forward.
CITY were wedded to taking Kyle Walker off at half-time regardless of the score.
The England international started at the London Stadium on Wednesday night but was not seen after the interval, with Joao Cancelo taking his place at halftime; Cancelo stepped up to take a penalty in the shootout and scored, although Phil Foden’s miss at the beginning of it proved decisive.
Pep Guardiola picked a strong enough side for the league cup game, but suggested after the defeat that there were bigger challenges on the horizon that influenced the team selection.
City take on Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday looking to keep pace with Chelsea and Liverpool before facing Club Brugge at home in the easiest - on paper, anyway - of their three remaining Champions League group games.
With those matches in mind, City always planned to swap Walker for Cancelo to share the minutes out and didn’t deviate from the plan when they went in goalless at the break.
“We spoke about 45 minutes for Kyle and 45 minutes for Joao,” said Guardiola.
“It doesn’t matter the result, it is 45 and 45. They play a lot of minutes and I don’t want to put extra energy because we have a tough week ahead of us.
“I was really impressed with the games Crystal Palace played and Brugge is a final for us to qualify for the next round [of the Champions League].”
JOSE Mourinho has been accused of creating an ‘uncomfortable situation’ after casting aside four Roma players.
The former United manager took charge at the Italians this summer after accepting an approach which came in the midst of a two-legged Europa League tie between the teams last season.
Of course, United won that and went on to reach the Gdansk showpiece - where they were beaten by Villarreal via a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out.
Roma have started the Serie A campaign by taking 19 points from a possible 30 and sit fourth in the standings.
However, after the stunning 6-1 reverse to European minnows
Bodo/Glimt, the Portuguese dropped four first-team regulars from his Roma squad - suggesting he only had 13 players who were up to scratch.
Amadou Diawara, Borja Mayoral, Gonzalo Villar and Bryan Reynolds are the quartet to have been cast aside.
It’s a familiar trait that United supporters will, no doubt, recognise from Mourinho’s spell at Old Trafford.
Indeed, ex-Germany international Bastian Schweinsteiger boldly claimed he was exiled by the Portuguese coach on account of his previous relationship with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Over in Italy, meanwhile, Diawara’s agent has taken aim at the former Chelsea and Tottenham manager. Speaking to Tuttomercatoweb, Daniele Piraino said: “I don’t understand the message he’s trying to get across.
“Is Diawara being made a scapegoat? Is he being made to pay a heavy price for an error? Is it an attempt to force the club into acting in the transfer market?
“If it’s for these reasons, rather than fitness, or he feels the player is unable to understand the tactical requirements of the coach, then I think Mourinho is creating an uncomfortable situation.
“It is inexplicable, but Diawara will adapt.
“Amadou is an exceptional professional.”