Pep Guardiola issues detailed Jack Grealish recovery update amid Manchester City and England absence

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has discussed Jack Grealish’s most recent recovery from a muscular injury.

The 28-year-old is in contention to feature for Manchester City in the Emirates FA Cup quarter-finals at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening, as Pep Guardiola’s side host Newcastle United in the last-eight of the competition.

Grealish, who missed last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League, hasn’t featured for Manchester City since the FA Cup fifth round win over Luton Town at Kenilworth Road, with the Englishman having featured in just five matches in 2024.

The forward has seen his campaign plagued by injury issues and has made just two Premier League appearances since the turn of the year, a major blow to Pep Guardiola after Grealish’s importance last season.

Grealish featured in 50 matches during the Sky Blues’ treble-winning campaign, helping City to the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League.

The England international is set to return during a defining period, with Manchester City facing quarter-final clashes against Newcastle and Real Madrid, as well chasing Liverpool and Arsenal for the Premier League title.

Grealish was omitted from Gareth Southgate’s England squad for two upcoming friendlies, as the 28-year-old bids to return to full fitness for the final two months of the campaign.

Muscular injuries have forced the forward to be taken off during the first-half of his last two starts, and Guardiola has provided insight into Grealish’s latest injury recovery.

“He feels good. Yeah, maybe, we’ll see,” said the Catalan.

“Now we have that game (against Newcastle) and after we have two weeks that he’s going to work as good, as hard, and as clever as possible to when he comes back be ready.

“But the muscle is a muscle like it’s not like a hamstring, it’s another muscle. The doctor said it’s not a big influence on the others ones, that’s why the recovery is quicker, and that’s why he came back against Luton quicker.

“But of course he trained in the last two, three days really good, he feels good, and positive, and of course, maybe tomorrow we need him, and especially in these two weeks to work well, to when he comes back we can have the Jack (Grealish that, this season, unfortunately we had a few, few times and can help us for the last part of the season.”

Manchester City return from the international break to a crunch Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium prior to matches against Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, before meeting Real Madrid in the first-leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday 9th April.