Jack Grealish’s potential can be unlocked by Sergio Gomez
Neel Shelat
- Updated: 23 May 2023 08:46 CDT
- 3 min read
Pep Guardiola has strengthened the left side of his Manchester City side by adding Sergio Gomez to his ranks for €13 million from Anderlecht.
The Spain U21 international has earned comparisons with Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies thanks to his overlapping style, but this is not an immediate fit into City’s current style.
However, that does not mean that Gomez will necessarily be overlooked in the future – and indeed this contrasting style to Joao Cancelo could play into his hands in certain games. It could also be vital in getting the best from Jack Grealish at the Etihad.
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Grealish’s disappointing start
Since arriving on a £100 million move from Aston Villa last summer, Grealish has been a disappointment. The England winger was supposed to be a game breaker for City, but instead he has produced a paltry six goals and four assists. With just seven decisive contributions in 35 Premier League and Champions League outings, Guardiola will be seeking ways to get more from the 26-year-old.
This is where Gomez comes in. City do not use overlapping full-backs presently, but this option now presents itself to Guardiola.
On the whole, it is likely that Gomez is likely to have to settle for a backup role behind Cancelo for the moment, although his versatility means he can do a role in a central role. To this end, he echoes Oleksandr Zinchenko, who has moved to Arsenal.
But there are certain cases where Gomez might be a better choice at left-back for Manchester City, such as against low-block sides when Grealish is deployed as the left winger. The ex-Aston Villa man likes to carry the ball infield, so he would thrive with someone who can make overlapping runs and attract defenders away from him, which is something that Cancelo cannot do to the same effect as Gomez due to his right-footedness.
If he is used in this way, the ex-Dortmund man would be able to use his creative abilities to their fullest. It is likely that this is how he proves to be most effective at City. How often Guardiola chooses to do this, though, is what might decide Gomez’s game time – and how productive Grealish is this season.
