Jack Grealish is ready to be "the X factor" for Manchester City in their Champions League semi-final tie with Real Madrid, according to the club's former defender Kolo Toure.
Toure heralded the winger’s uniqueness and bravery with the ball ahead of what many have identified as treble-chasing City’s toughest challenge so far this season.
Pep Guardiola’s men will be desperate to make it past Los Blancos after their opponents’ stunning comeback against his side in last year’s semi-finals.
Pundits and fans have been identifying Erling Haaland as City’s key difference maker following a record-breaking first season in Manchester that has seen him score 51 goals in all competitions.
But Toure feels it may well be Grealish who City end up relying on as they look to finally get their hands on the elusive Champions League trophy, with the first leg of their last-four tie taking place on Tuesday.
"He is such an effective player and for me it is unique players like that who win the Champions League because he has that X factor," Toure told Stats Perform about Grealish ahead of the match at Santiago Bernabeu.
"It is his personality. He's not scared, he likes getting the ball under big pressure, and they need him in the Champions League.
"I think he's going to be really big for them in the Champions League games coming up."
Grealish will not need reminding of last season’s disappointment in Madrid, where City led by two goals going into the final minute of the second leg before collapsing to a 6-5 aggregate defeat after extra time.
As City sought to put the tie beyond doubt, the Englishman was centre stage. He saw an effort cleared off the line by Ferland Mendy before the exceptional Thibaut Courtois saved from him as opportunities went begging.
Many questioned whether City had made the right move bringing Grealish to the club. A low output – just three Premier League goals and three assists – in his first season under Guardiola and a £100 million transfer fee did not help his case.
He entered a squad stacked with attacking players who have technical ability in abundance and were already established as greats of the Guardiola era. The records of Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne speak for themselves.
But Grealish’s development this season has been impressive, and this has not been lost on Toure.
"I think when he came to City, he came to a different team," explained Toure.
"With Aston Villa, he used to play as a free man and he used to be the playmaker. He used to be the one who does everything when they have the ball.
"They were working for him to make sure he just created chances on his own really by dribbling past one or two players and then passing the ball to his team-mates or scoring himself, and he had a habit of doing that from a young age.
"And then he came to Man City, which is a team with tactical discipline, which is a team with top players around him, which is a team that is not about one player but is about all the squad, it is about all the players on the pitch.
"And you find it difficult because he was learning the Man City way.
"He was trying to be disciplined because when you have been a free man running everywhere and then your manager says ‘you just stay there and the ball will get to you’ [it is an adjustment]. When the ball doesn't come for 20 seconds, you just want to get it.
"But Pep knew that this boy has big quality, and you just needed to be taught the tactical discipline and you can see how effective he is now.
"What happens when you have tactical discipline, you are not running everywhere on the pitch and you save a lot of energy and, when the ball gets there, you have plenty of energy to do even better than you used to.
"And you can see as how defensively he is working harder because he is not wasting energy. He is just in the right position for the ball get to him and then to attack one, two or three players."
Toure’s observations certainly stack up when looking at Grealish’s numbers. The England man has improved his assist output (11 in all competitions) and receives more progressive passes per game than in his first season at City, pointing his better understanding of his manager’s demands in tandem with his team-mates.
Guardiola is known to demand so much of his players and even Sergio Aguero once faced questions over his suitability. Many goals and many trophies later and that sentiment is one those who shared it will be hoping to forget.
Throw in names like Mahrez and Raheem Sterling and the list of attackers who have taken time before growing into key roles at the club is now a who’s-who of City successes.
Grealish will be hoping his critics will be quieter still as the season draws to a close following his breakout year at the top of English football.
But he along with his team-mates know Champions League glory will be the true marker of how they are viewed as City return to Madrid looking to show their growth and seeking redemption.
5 occasions team-mates have clashed following Nicolas Jackson-Noni Madueke spat
Chelsea pair Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke are not the first team-mates to clash on a football pitch.
Cole Palmer’s four-goal haul in the Blues’ 6-0 win over Everton on Monday was overshadowed by what boss Mauricio Pochettino called an “unacceptable” altercation over who should take a second-half penalty.
Palmer, the club’s designated penalty-taker, finally took charge, following intervention from captain Conor Gallagher, recovering his composure to score his fourth.
Jackson and Madueke follow a long line of club colleagues to have had a very public difference of opinion. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some previous incidents.
Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer
Perhaps the classic of the genre, the Newcastle team-mates came to blows towards the end of a 3-0 home defeat by Aston Villa in April 2005, Dyer grabbing Bowyer by the throat and the pair trading punches before being separated by Villa’s Gareth Barry. Both men were dismissed by referee Barry Knight – defender Steven Taylor had earlier been sent off for handball – and later hauled before the media by manager Graeme Souness to apologise for their conduct.
Graeme Le Saux and David Batty
Blackburn’s Le Saux was left with a painful reminder of his bust-up with David Batty during a 3-0 Champions League defeat at Spartak Moscow in November 1995. Four minutes into the game, the pair collided as both tried to retrieve a Mike Newell pass and Batty made his displeasure abundantly clear. The row descended into a pushing match before Le Saux – he later insisted in self-defence – struck out, breaking his left hand during a scuffle in which intervening skipper Tim Sherwood took a blow to the cheek.
Hugo Lloris and Son Heung-min
Tottenham keeper Lloris and striker Son became involved in a heated row on the pitch as the half-time whistle sounded in a 1-0 Premier League victory over Everton in July 2020. Lloris angrily confronted the South Korea international over his failure to track back and the pair had to be separated by team-mates Giovani Lo Celso and Harry Winks. The spat continued down the tunnel and into the dressing room, although the two men embraced after the final whistle.
Derek Hales and Mike Flanagan
Charlton strike partners Hales and Flanagan came to blows during an FA Cup tie against Maidstone in January 1979. The source of the spat was allegedly Flanagan reacting to Hales failing to pass to him by making a disparaging remark about his team-mate’s genitals. Both were sent off.
Craig Levein and Graeme Hogg
The Hearts duo became involved in a disagreement during a pre-season friendly at Raith in August 1994 after their side had almost conceded. Both men threw punches, but it was Levein’s which did the damage, breaking Hogg’s nose. He was sent off as he was being carried off on a stretcher with Levein suffering the same fate, and they were later handed 10 and 12-match bans respectively.
I’m buzzing – hat-trick hero Cole Palmer thanks Chelsea for opportunity to join
Cole Palmer is grateful for the opportunity Chelsea gave him to join the club after he celebrated successive home hat-tricks when he scored four times in the Blues’ 6-0 win over Everton.
The Manchester City academy graduate, who joined the Blues last summer, scored a spectacular individual goal to open the scoring.
Palmer scored a header and added a third when he capitalised on a Jordan Pickford error before converting a penalty in the second half. Nicolas Jackson and Alfie Gilchrist also got on the scoresheet as the Toffees came completely unstuck.
It was Palmer’s second home triple in a row, following his three goals against Manchester United earlier this month.
Palmer told Chelsea’s official website: “To make the decision to come to Chelsea was a big one for me and my family, but I just wanted to play football. I’m thankful to Chelsea for the opportunity and I’m buzzing.
“We started well and to score a hat-trick, I’m buzzing. I think the team needed that after last Sunday and some previous games. We did well tonight. It was a great game for the team and me.”
Palmer showed wonderful skill for his first goal after he jinked past Jarrad Branthwaite, receiving a flick-on from Jackson before he produced a first-time curled effort from outside the box into the bottom left-hand corner.
The 21-year-old added: “I think my first one was my favourite.
“My right-footed goal was a bit of a swinger, but my first one was probably my favourite. As an attacker, you always want to help the team with goals and assists, but my main focus was playing well and trying to get into the positions to score goals.”
Manager Mauricio Pochettino heaped praise on Palmer, who is now joint top in the Premier League’s Golden Boot race with Erling Haaland on 20 goals each.
He said: “I don’t judge the player when we sign (them) but I expected the best. It doesn’t surprise us, he’s a player who has had the capacity to score goals when he was playing at Manchester City. He has the capacity to score easily.
“The way he’s adapted, playing and performing is fantastic. He behaves like a top scorer and I think it’s amazing for the team and him.”
Football rumours: Chelsea seeking new Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk deals
What the papers say
The Sun reports that Chelsea are seeking contract extensions for midfielder Enzo Fernandez and winger Mykhailo Mudryk. The two 23-year-olds’ previous long-term deals would be extended by another year.
The Daily Mail reports that Liverpool are considering Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson as a potential replacement for Caoimhin Kelleher.
According to the Telegraph, ex-Chelsea and Everton boss Frank Lampard has dropped out of the running to become the new head coach of Canada’s national team.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Tosin Adarabioyo: Tottenham have made an offer to the Fulham defender, says Teamtalk, as they try to beat Manchester United in the race to sign the 26-year-old.
Viktor Gyokeres: Manchester United are keen on the Sweden striker from Sporting Lisbon but fear Liverpool may scupper their signing chances, reports HITC.
Djed Spence: Tottenham’s 23-year-old right-back is one of several senior players expected to leave the club this summer, claims Football Insider.
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