Pep Guardiola pleased Jack Grealish repaid his faith after goal against Wolves

Grealish scored his first goal of the season just hours after his manager backed him in public following a slow start to the campaign

Jack Grealish thanked Guardiola for keeping him in the team (Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola said Jack Grealish has his unconditional trust after Manchester City’s record signing scored his belated first goal of the season in their 3-0 win at Wolves.

The City manager thinks the £100 million transfer fee might be a burden on Grealish, who had not got a goal or an assist this season until he struck after 55 seconds at Molineux, when Erling Haaland and Phil Foden completed a victory that took his side top.

Grealish had thanked Guardiola for keeping him in the team after his performance against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday but the Catalan said that was not necessary and urged the winger to play with personality.

He said: “They are here because I trust them unconditionally, all of them. I know them. I trust them unconditionally and Jack is not an exception. He scored a goal and it was a good performance. Every time he has the ball it’s one against one against the full-back all the time. Ok he didn’t score or assist [until today] but it’s a question of time.

“They don’t have to say thank you. I have confidence in all of them and they have to play for them. Of course I am happy for him, for the victory, for his incredible personality to play. That’s why I am happy for the goal he scored.”

Grealish became English football’s first £100 million player and Guardiola accepted the price tag could be troubling him. “Yeah, maybe,” he added. “We have to admit it. He has to be who he is, that is all. Good moments, bad moments everyone has.

“The important thing is ‘I am Jack Grealish, I play like I am. I go there with a good mentality and try to do the best for myself to help all of us’. That is all I want for him and everyone.”