Jack Grealish finally hits out at Aston Villa fans as gesture spotted during Man City defeat

Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish lost his cool at the final whistle at Aston Villa today as the champions continued their miserable run. It is just one win in 11 games for Pep Guardiola's side after being beaten 2-1, with the defeat particularly difficult for Grealish to take.

The playmaker left Villa Park for the Etihad in the summer of 2021, for a record fee of £100 million.

The move came after Grealish publicly stated his desire to spend his career at his boyhood club, remaining loyal in 2016 despite the club's relegation to the Championship.

He was booed throughout the midday kick-off and appeared shaken in the first half as he complained to officials about the lack of injury time. As the 29-year-old headed towards the tunnel, he then found himself involved in a confrontation with former teammate Emi Martinez, as Erling Haaland moved in to act as peacemaker.

But it was after his team's third consecutive defeat was confirmed that Grealish reacted to the crowd. He held up three fingers as he continued to be prompted, signifying the number of Premier League titles he had won since his switch.

His behavior sparked comparisons with his manager's response to Liverpool fans chanting “you're sacked in the morning” at Anfield last month. The Spaniard hit back by raising six fingers, one for each title won since arriving in England ahead of the 2016/17 season.

Grealish's form in City's career arguably reached its peak during the 2022/23 campaign, where City completed a historic treble in the league, FA Cup and Champions League. He played over 60 games that season but has since been plagued by fitness issues.

The England international has now failed to score a club goal in his last 45 matches and has not recorded a league assist in over a year. His current six-year contract runs until 2027, and previous speculation about a possible return to Villa Park now appears far-fetched.

It didn't take long for City's woes to continue, with Jhon Duran firing the hosts over after 16 minutes. Morgan Rogers added a second just after the hour mark, before Phil Foden scored a consolation goal in added time.

Grealish, who has played 17 times for City this season, was left out of the squad by Gareth Southgate for this summer's Euro 2024 tournament. He has since been recalled by caretaker manager Lee Carsley, scoring in the Nations League win over Ireland in September.

It was another game where he was booed at every touch, having previously represented the Irish at under-21 level before switching allegiances. After his goal, he cocked his ears towards the crowd in Dublin, provoking an angry reaction from the home fans.