Jack Grealish reacts to ‘final’ Matheus Nunes message amid Man City exit links
Jack Grealish reacted to a message from Man City teammate Matheus Nunes on social media as exit links swirl around both players.
Pep Guardiola subjected Nunes to some derisory remarks after the Manchester derby on 6 April, as the Spaniard called the former Wolves man “not clever enough” to play in midfield.
The comments were both puzzling and harsh at the time, given the 26-year-old had been far from City’s worst performer as a makeshift right-back, prompting suggestions Nunes was headed for an Etihad exit.
However, Guardiola’s remarks appear to have spurred the midfielder on in recent games, with Nunes scoring a last-minute winner in City’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa on 22 April, albeit from full-back.
With a place in the FA Cup final on the line, the former Wolves star was called upon to deal with the threat of the in-demand winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Though the England winger looked sharp, Nunes was in fine form once again, helping City keep a clean sheet in a 2-0 win.
Matheus Nunes sends message to Man City fans after win over Nottingham Forest
Following the victory against the Tricky Trees, Nunes shared several photos on Instagram, captioned: “Through to the final!”
The post was liked by teammate Grealish, who also appeared in the semi-final, making his first start since a 2-0 win over Leicester on 2 April.
Jack Grealish and Matheus Nunes’ Man City careers heading in different directions
Football Insider Verdict
Following Guardiola‘s comments, Nunes has made himself indispensable to the Spaniard, not only scoring a late winner against Villa but also assisting Nico O’Reilly’s opener against Everton the week before.
Having been brought in largely to be a back-up to City’s long list of talented midfielders, the Portuguese international’s ability to play right-back has been crucial.
Whilst there still remains some uncertainty around his future, it would be a surprise to see Guardiola want to part ways with such a versatile player who has proven his ability in recent weeks.
| 2024/25 Premier League stats | Grealish | Nunes |
| Appearances | 19 | 23 |
| Starts | 7 | 16 |
| Goals | 1 | 1 |
| Assists | 1 | 5 |
| Minutes | 714 | 1,403 |
Grealish, on the other hand, continues to struggle to regularly feature in the Spaniard’s side and when he does, the results have not been pretty this season.
Withdrawn after 71 minutes against Forest, the England international was off the pace and it would be a real surprise to see him remain with the Sky Blues this summer.
Grealish has been linked with a move to Tottenham in the coming transfer window, but the former Villa man may wait to assess the North London club’s managerial situation before committing to a move, with Ange Postecoglou under serious pressure.