Jack Grealish is starting to show exactly why Manchester City shelled out £100 million on him.
And on Saturday, a clip of the Englishman highlighted his quality, with the 27-year-old the definition of press-resistant against Leicester City.
A first-half rout was enough for the hosts to overcome their relegation-threatened visitors, with three goals in the first 25 minutes wrapping up the game.
Defender John Stones opened the scoring before a brace from Erling Haaland took the game out of Leicester’s reach.
Former City striker Kelechi Iheanacho scored a late consolation for the visitors, but they were unable to mount a late comeback.
Pep Guardiola: Game against Arsenal ‘a final’
That result means that City have won 10 games in a row in all competitions. The last time they dropped points in the Premier League was back in February in a 1-1 draw away to Nottingham Forest.
It keeps up the pressure on league leaders Arsenal, who are just three points ahead of the current Premier League champions and have a game against West Ham United later today.
However, they will have one eye on their game against City in just under two weeks, with that fixture being a decisive game in the title race.
If City win that match they will deal a significant blow to Arsenal’s title hopes, and Guardiola said after Saturday’s game that he will be treating it like a cup final.
“We have to win, win and win,” the Spaniard said.
“Arsenal have done incredibly well this season and I don’t think they are going to drop many points and what we have to do is be there.
“It was important for us to win today to arrive in the final we have against them in our next Premier League game.”
Grealish shows his quality
And one man that City will look to in that game will likely be Grealish.
The attacker has been in good form this season, scoring five league goals and weighing in with six assists.
But City fans were raving about him after Saturday’s game, due to one clip which showed just how good he can be on his day.
As Leicester look to suffocate City and rob them of possession, Grealish drops back to receive the ball in his own half.
Three players then swarm around him, with the winger being forced back even further. But rather than play the ball back to the unmarked Ederson, Grealish comes in field before turning to face the onrushing Leicester players.
Instinctively, he plays a ball between the lines to Bernardo Silva, who returns the ball to Grealish who has run beyond the pressing opposition.
And just like that, City take four players out of the game and launch an attack themselves.
Grealish continues to bomb forward, drifting past Youri Tielemans before being brought down.
From on the back foot to attack in a matter of seconds.
Watch: Press-resistant Grealish
Fans react to the man in form
Grealish has stepped up performances for City in recent weeks, bagging two goals and two assists in his last four games.
And fans have said that the £100 million man is finally showing why City spent all that money on him.
City will hope he can continue that form as they push for another Premier League trophy and that elusive first Champions League trophy.
They travel to Germany for the second leg of their quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich on Wednesday, with Guardiola’s side already 3-0 up on aggregate.
Following that, City have another trip to Wembley lined up, as they prepare to face Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi-finals.
