In just four games, Jack Grealish is back to his creative, unrestrictive best at Everton after four trophy-laden years at Manchester City.
The August Premier League Player of the Month is looking to build on his form against former club Aston Villa on Saturday, having never scored or assisted in games with his boyhood side.
Everton come up against an Aston Villa side who could hand debuts to deadline day signings Harvey Elliott, Victor Lindelof and Jadon Sancho – and it is Sancho who will provide the biggest intrigue at Villa Park this season.
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Aston Villa FC v Chelsea FC - Premier League
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All eyes will be on Grealish again to see if he can continue his electric start to life at Everton, with Sancho perhaps going under the radar despite being in a remarkably similar position.
With Manchester City and Manchester United playing each other on Sunday, there is a meeting of two of their high-profile loan players on Saturday as Jack Grealish’s Everton take on Jadon Sancho’s Aston Villa.
In a short space of time, Grealish has shown what can be achieved with a new lease of life, and Sancho will be hoping to take advantage of the same new start.
The pair have featured together for England three times and were both in the Euro 2020 squad that reached the final on home soil in 2021.
Later that year, after Sancho was handed the Borussia Dortmund armband during one game, Grealish commented with a message of support on Instagram, to which Sancho replied: “Learning from you bro.”
Jadon Sancho can put Manchester United nightmare behind him at Aston Villa, following Marcus Rashford and using Jack Grealish example
Marcus Rashford used his loan at Aston Villa last year to rediscover a love of playing football, earning a loan move to Barcelona this season. Grealish appears to be following suit at Everton, as his Player of the Month award underlines.
Jack Grealish looks on at the travelling Everton fans during a game against Wolves
Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images
Sancho helped Borussia Dortmund to the 2024 Champions League final back on loan from United, and scored five times with ten assists for Chelsea last term.
But he will be hoping to truly return to his best form from before his United days with a new start at Aston Villa.