Jack Grealish skillfully dispatched Sofyan Amrabat to a realm of utter confusion, all without making contact with the ball.
Jack Grealish’s remarkable maneuver in the Manchester derby was a testament to his exceptional skill and ability to outfox his opponent, Sofyan Amrabat, without even making contact with the ball. This pivotal moment occurred during the encounter between Manchester City and Manchester United, where City seized control of the game thanks to an Erling Haaland brace on either side of halftime. Phil Foden further solidified City’s dominance by scoring a third goal in the 79th minute, capitalizing on Haaland’s assist.
Except for a brief period early in the first half, Manchester City maintained complete control over the game, emphasizing the significant disparity in quality between the two sides. One memorable episode encapsulated the match during the first half, when Grealish skillfully evaded Amrabat’s challenge without even touching the ball.
Under pressure from Amrabat, Grealish appeared to be positioning himself to collect a loose bouncing ball. In a brilliant attempt to deceive his counterpart from Manchester United, the English international executed a deceptive shoulder feint before swiftly changing direction, leaving Amrabat utterly bewildered. Amrabat, in his attempt to defend, ended up on the ground, and Grealish achieved this without any contact with the ball.
Amrabat has encountered a rollercoaster ride since his recent move to England, joining Manchester United on an initial loan fee of £8.5 million this summer. The Moroccan international has struggled to find his top form in midfield, and he has occasionally been tasked with playing an unfamiliar left-back role under Ten Hag. Notably, Amrabat lost possession approximately 20 times in a recent defeat to Crystal Palace earlier this month, where he faced a challenging battle against the wily Jordan Ayew.
BBC Five Live pundit Chris Sutton provided a scathing assessment of the former Feyenoord player after the match. Sutton remarked, “He appeared out of his element today in the left-back position, much like a fish out of water.”
