'It’s easy' - Savinho's Hammers display shows why Grealish frozen out, says Guardiola  

The champions earned consecutive league victories for the first time since October.

SAMBA BOY: Manchester City's Savinho (right) celebrates after his cross deflects in for an own goal by West Ham United's Vladimir Coufa. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

SAVINHO continued his, and Manchester City’s, rehabilitation with a man-of-the-match display that left a £100 million-sized question mark hanging over Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Following last week’s win at Leicester, City recorded consecutive league victories for the first time since October, with Savinho again the pivotal performer in gathering three precious points for Guardiola’s slumping side.

As has been the case all too often this season, City’s record signing Jack Grealish failed to make the starting line-up, his role in the win limited to a few minutes off the bench.

The fine form displayed by the £100 million former Aston Villa man in City’s treble-winning campaign two years ago is a distant memory and, as Grealish faced up to being distinctly second choice behind young Brazilian Savinho, Guardiola’s analysis was suitably frank.

“It’s easy,” said Guardiola. “As much as he looks at himself, he will see the competition and he has to compete, himself.

“Savinho is in better shape and everything than Jack and that’s why I played Savinho. I want the Jack that won the treble? Yeah. I want it. But I try to be honest with myself for that.

“What happened with Savinho’s delivery in the box? It’s higher than the other wingers in that position. And they have to fight.

“You can say ‘okay, now but it’s unfair.’ Okay if you think that, then it’s fine. But you have to prove, I’m going to fight with Savinho, to deserve to play in that position. And every single day, and every single week and every single month.

“And that is because I fought a lot for him, I fought a lot (for Grealish) to be here, to, come on ‘do it again, do it again.’ And I know that he can do it because I saw him.

“I saw him, I saw your level and I want that, every single training session and every single game. If not, is there someone in this room (thinks) Savinho doesn’t deserve right to play? No. He deserves. That’s why I play him because he produces.

“So that’s why he played. I would love to play football. I was a brilliant football player. You don’t remember that, but I was a football player and I would like to play. I can't. I don't perform well, I cannot.” 

All joking aside, and welcome as Savinho’s form has been, Grealish’s displays have long since become a cause of major concern for City, among many. The calendar year of 2024 passed without him scoring a single goal and, in the Premier League, he had just one assist, earlier this season at Newcastle.

At neighbours United, players like Antony, and currently Marcus Rashford, have seen their form placed under a microscope, with non too flattering results. Grealish’s demise, magnificent as he was in that treble season, is worthy of similar analysis.

“I don’t have any doubt about the quality of Jack or any of these players. They would not be here,” said Guardiola.

“But they have to, right now, today at 3pm, be at your best. It’s not about what they have done or will do, it’s about 3pm. The one hour 30 minutes, or one hour, 45 minutes, we're going to play, the responsibility belong to the players, not to me.

“I’m here talking because I have to come here because of the (TV) contract. But it belongs to the players. Absolutely.

“It's zero responsibility for me. I can suggest but it is them. Ah, before? Here and after, it's my responsibility. And I have to take it, and they have to deliver, every single game.” For all the impressive final scoreline against the Hammers, this was still a far from vintage City performance, as Guardiola was quick to point out.

Savinho’s early shot deflected in off Vladimir Coufal before he laid on two goals for Erling Haaland and Phil Foden added a fourth. Niclas Fullkrug pulled a goal back for the visitors, one of 17 shots they created, and, bizarre as it may sound, the Hammers should have had as many goals as City.

Ultimately, the 20-year-old Savinho was the difference between the teams and, after a slow start to his time in Manchester, the Brazilian now has seven assists, five of them for Haaland despite the pair not sharing a language.

“We talk a lot, I don't speak English but he understands me and I understand him,” said Savinho.

“I usually pass the ball to him because I know he won't waste it and he'll score. We talk a lot and we understand each other. Whenever he's in the area I'm always looking for him to get the ball to him.

"I've been here for six months, I'm still adapting, I don't speak English. I think when I start speaking English I'll be comfortable in the group.

“I’ll start to understand more the things the players say to me. The most important thing is that the players trust me and I can get this trust to show on the pitch."

Man City (4-1-4-1): Ortega 6; Lewis 6, Akanji 5, Ake 6 (Walker 61, 4), Gvardiol 5; Kovacic 7 (Gundogan 61, 5); Foden 7, De Bruyne 7, Silva 6, Savinho 8 (McAtee 80, 5); Haaland 7 (Grealish 83). Substitutes (not used) Carson, Doku, Nunes, Simpson-Pusey, O’Reilly.

West Ham (4-2-3-1): Areola 6; Coufal 5, Todibo 5 (Mavropanos 53, 5), Kilman 6, Wan-Bissaka 7; Soucek 6, Alvarez 5 (Ings 87); Kudus 5 (Guilherme 72 5), Paqueta 6, Summerville 7; Fullkrug 6. Substitutes (not used) Cresswell, Foderingham, Irving, Rodriguez, Scarlet, Soler.

Referee: M Salisbury 5