"Is Pep taking the piss?" "Advantage West Ham" - Manchester City fans fume as 26-year-old is handed rare start in crucial Premier League encounter
Manchester City head into their game against West Ham United knowing a win puts them within touching distance of the Premier League title but fans aren't happy.
Pep Guardiola has chosen Jack Grealish in attack alongside Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez. And it's the Β£100 million man's inclusion that fans have taken gripe with.
It's been a somewhat difficult season for Grealish following his transfer from Aston Villa last summer, which made him the most expensive player in Premier League history.
The English forward was consistently Villa's main man but has had to play second fiddle to the likes of Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling throughout this campaign with City.
He has his chance against the Hammers this afternoon but he doesn't seem to have much support from the Etihad faithful, who would have preferred Foden. Foden has impressed this season, with many touting him as the best young player in the Premier League.
Nevertheless, its Grealish who lines up on the left-hand side of City's attack. Here are some Twitter reactions from Manchester City fans over Guardiola handing Grealish a start:
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XI | Ederson, Cancelo, Fernandinho (C), Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Jesus, Grealish
SUBS | Steffen, Ake, Sterling, Gundogan, Foden, Egan-Riley, Mbete, Palmer, Lavia
#ManCity | @HaysTechnology https://t.co/bm9I6qDmtn
Grealish starts and Sterling is benched https://t.co/p79op6WfFU
Grealish please use your head abeg
Gabby and grealish disadvantage twitter.com/mancity/statusβ¦
@SxrgioSZN @ManCity @HaysTechnology Grealish contribution https://t.co/zoiF7mYMk1
Fernandinho CB, Grealish starts, no Foden https://t.co/gBmqmBTg9g
Grealish over Foden. Advantage West Ham.
Is Pep taking the piss? Why is he starting Grealish over Foden or Sterling in arguably our biggest game of the season? twitter.com/mancity/statusβ¦
@ManCity @HaysTechnology Jesus the seasonβs ending at the right time. Weβd have actually been finished if we made the CL final
Manchester City looking to put themselves on the brink of another Premier League title win
Pep Guardiola's side are close to sealing their eight league title and a win over West Ham United this afternoon will put them one win away. Liverpool have been admirable in their pursuit of City, having previously trailed the Cityzens by twelve points earlier this year.
But Manchester City's impressive form in the league this season has them in pole position to claim yet another title under Guardiola. They have been a joy to watch all season, playing some mouth-watering football with the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Joao Cancelo and Phil Foden flourishing.
City will be disappointed in having failed to make it to the UEFA Champions League final but a second consecutive league success is on the cards for them. And with that, so too does the arrival of Borussia Dortmund hitman Erling Haaland.
The Norweigan is set to join City this summer and could be the catalyst for the side to go on and win the Champions League next season. Nevertheless, all eyes will be on today's huge clash with West Ham where a win puts City within touching distance of the Premier League.