Jack Grealish admits he “didn’t help himself” at Manchester City with his love for nightlife but insists his Etihad spell was still a success. Now on loan at Everton, the England star says he has fallen back in love with football, delivering four assists in his first five Premier League games.
Jack Grealish has opened up about his love for parties, his regrets at Manchester City, and why he’s rediscovering his best form at Everton.
The 30-year-old midfielder joined the Toffees on loan this summer after a frustrating 2024-25 campaign under Pep Guardiola, where he made just 20 league appearances — 13 of them from the bench. Since moving to Merseyside, however, Grealish has looked revitalized, providing four assists in his first five Premier League matches and quickly winning over Everton supporters.
“I didn’t help myself at times”
Speaking to Sky Sports in a candid interview with his former Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood, Grealish admitted that while he enjoyed life at City, his off-field choices occasionally worked against him.
People go, ‘he likes to go out, he likes to party’ — and I do. I want to enjoy myself, but there’s a time and a place. I probably haven’t picked the right times — sometimes at City, for example, I didn’t help myself at times. But it wasn’t all down to that.
Despite criticism of his lifestyle, Grealish insists his time at City was not a failure. He highlighted his role in their treble-winning season in 2022-23, describing it as “an unbelievable year” in his career.
Falling back in love with football
The England international says his move to Everton was motivated by a desire to feel “loved” again.
People were saying to me, ‘what are you doing going to Everton?’, and I was like, ‘what do you mean? It’s a massive club’. I’m at my best when I feel loved. I wanted to go somewhere I could play with a smile on my face again.
Grealish added that his fresh start under David Moyes has reignited his passion for the game:
There’s nothing I love more than playing football. Whether it’s in training or on matchday, I just love playing. I feel like I’ve fallen back in love with it at Everton.
Everton’s bright start and next test
Everton have picked up seven points from their opening five league games, with Grealish central to their attacking play. Victories over Brighton and Wolves, along with a draw against Aston Villa, have given supporters cause for optimism under Moyes.
The Toffees face West Ham on Monday night at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Nuno Espírito Santo set to take charge of the Hammers following Graham Potter’s dismissal. Grealish, meanwhile, will be eager to continue proving that his move to Goodison Park was the right call.
