Joleon Lescott on Jack Grealish run of form – ‘He looks like he’s at home’ also hails ‘huge’ Phil Foden

Speaking to BT Sport ahead of the clash with Newcastle United at the weekend former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott has hailed the performances of England winger Jack Grealish, saying the forward finally looks at home in Pep Guardiola’s side.

Grealish, 27, joined City in the summer of 2021 from Aston Villa to much fanfare but the England international struggled initially to replicate the form he showed at Villa Park.

But recently things have clicked for Grealish, he scored in the win over Arsenal in February and has found himself starting more often and having more of an impact on the game.

Speaking ahead of City’s game against high-flying Newcastle United, which will be live on BT Sport, Lescott said he thinks Grealish is in a far better state mentally.

“The manager’s picking him because he’s playing well – he hasn’t put in the team to play him into form. He’s doing well: it’s 21 goals and assists between him and Mahrez since the end of the World Cup, which is huge.

“He hasn’t gone on a run of unrealistic form, this is just a continuation of what he did at Villa. We saw the start of it last season but now he looks like he’s at home in the team and loves the style of play.”

Lescott also had positive things to say of another England international, Phil Foden, who scored twice against Bristol City in the FA Cup in midweek.

“Foden’s huge for City,” explains Lescott of the 22-year-old. “This is probably the first time since he came on the scene that there’s been question marks or doubts, but it’s just a dip in form and it happens to everyone.

“He’s massively important for the club and for the fans. Even before the World Cup he had eight goals, so it’s just a little dip and now he seems to be back.”

City go into the weekend five points behind league leaders Arsenal, with the Gunners kicking off at 15:00 UK time at home to relegation-strugglers Bournemouth.

Newcastle are in fifth place, four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, however they have two games in hand over the team from North London.