Jack Grealish left red-faced as Miguel Almiron responds to Man City jibes

Miguel Almiron found the net as Newcastle played host to Manchester City on Sunday, months after Sky Blues record signing Jack Grealish took aim at the Paraguay international

Miguel Almiron scored his first goal of the season against Manchester City (

Image: Getty Images)

Newcastle midfielder Miguel Almiron made Jack Grealish eat his words with a goal against the England star’s Manchester City side.

Grealish aimed a surprising dig at the Paraguay international during City’s title celebrations at the end of last season. He joked that Riyad Mahrez was withdrawn in the final-day victory over Aston Villa because he was playing like the Newcastle man.

The comments from the City record signing attracted a fair amount of criticism, with Simon Jordan among those to call out Grealish. However, it was Almiron himself who delivered the perfect response, turning in an Allan Saint-Maximin cross to bring Newcastle level against the champions at St James’ Park.

“There’s no problem with him having banter with his teammates, that’s absolutely fine,” talkSPORT host Jordan said in May. “If someone was to say he was taking the mickey out of Riyad Mahrez, you’d say it was banter, they’ve got that rapport.

“But if you take it out of another domain and you pick another player, single him out, and ridicule him because you think you’re in a position to do so, where’s that going to end? Someone somewhere is going to say, ‘By the way, who are you?’

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was asked about Grealish’s comments before the game, but played down their importance. “I haven’t broached it with Miggy, I don’t think it’s something we really need to discuss,” he told the media I see a very happy person who is in a really good place. I don’t see someone who needs extra motivation.”

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Jack Grealish’s comments about Miguel Almiron came amid Man City’s title celebrations (

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Getty Images)

It almost felt inevitable that Almiron would have a part to play on Sunday after being handed a starting berth by Howe. And even the matchday commentators on Sky Sports made reference to last season’s goings-on after the former Atlanta United man scored with an improvised finish.

Grealish himself wasn’t involved in the game, having picked up an injury last time out as City beat Bournemouth. “We’re lucky it was just a little, little, little bit of damage to his ligament,” Guardiola said of the £100million man before kick-off at St James’ Park. “[It’s] not much,” the manager added. “He feels better but not ready for today.”

With Grealish sidelined, Bernardo Silva returned to the starting line-up for the trip to the North East and found the net himself in the second half. The Portuguese international has been linked with a move to Barcelona, but is now expected to remain at City for the time being.

City fans will be waiting eagerly to see how long they are without Grealish. Their next Premier League game is at home to Crystal Palace on August 27, while their Champions League group stage campaign will begin in early September.

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