Jack Grealish scored his first Premier League goal for 16 months during Manchester City's win over Leicester City before paying a touching tribute to his late brother
22:35, 02 Apr 2025
Jack Grealish scored his first Premier League goal since December 2023 as Manchester City beat Leicester(Image: Getty Images)
Jack Grealish ended his long wait for a Premier League goal, then paid tribute to his late brother on the 25th anniversary of his death.
Grealish notched his first goal in 16 months to help Manchester City cruise to a routine 2-0 home win over Leicester City. The triumph boosted City's chances of securing a top four finish and return to the Champions League next season.
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And it came on the same day Grealish's younger brother, Keelan, died in 2000 aged just nine months. Grealish admitted it had been an emotional night for his family.
The England star said: "My little brother passed away 25 years ago today. This day is hard on the family, but I was happy to score. My mum and dad were here. This day is always difficult in the family, so to score and to win was brilliant."
City boss Pep Guardiola said: "Jack is an incredible human being. He's incredibly generous. I didn't know, this. I can't imagine how tough it can be for him, and his mum and dad and sister and all the family.
Manchester City's Jack Grealish celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Leicester City FC
Jack Grealish's opener came within the first two minutes of the match(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
"It's good that they remember him every single day, and it's nice him scoring a goal and making a good game."
Omar Marmoush added a second for City before the break, with his sixth goal in eight games, to suggest there can be life without the injured Erling Haaland. But it's quite the opposite story for sorry Leicester, whose chances of beating relegation appear to be dead.
Ruud van Nistelrooy has had some magical moments in this part of the world, following his stellar time as a Manchester United striker in the Noughties.
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But he will want to erase this return to Manchester from his memory fast, having watched his Leicester side produce a pitiful performance from start to finish.
Leicester had arrived in Manchester with their confidence on the floor. Seven straight defeats and just two wins in their last 16 games in all competitions meant Van Nistelrooy's men went into this game as massive underdogs. And they finished it resembling City's lapdog.
It took City just 70 seconds to go ahead through Grealish. Jeremy Doku charged through the middle before feeding Savinho, who checked before picking out the unmarked Grealish for a simple finish.
Omar Marmoush of Manchester City scores his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Leicester City FC
Omar Marmoush was on the scoresheet on a comfortable evening for Manchester City(Image: Getty Images)
A woeful mistake from Mads Hermansen, who spilled a harmless ball into the the path of Marmoush, allowed the Egyptian to double City's lead.
From that point onwards the game was over as a contest - if it had ever been one in the first place. The only surprise was how City failed to pile on more pain for the visitors and Van Nistelrooy.
Marmoush almost had a second, while Hermansen went some way to making amends with a fine save to deny Savinho. This win lifted City back up to third, while Leicester remain second from bottom and staring at an immediate return to the Championship.
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Van Nistelrooy knows the writing is on the wall, but is refusing to give up hope. He said: "With the form that we're in, to start a match like this makes it extra hard. You know it's going to be a long night.
"We had to fight just to go in with it 2-0 at half time. We live in reality and know what the situation is. Mathematically it's not over, so we have a responsibility to keep going."