England regular Jack Grealish initially struggled to justify that big price tag at the Etihad Stadium.

Grealish sat down with City’s media for an in-depth interview. (Image: Manchester City FC)

Jack Grealish has pinpointed the moment where he felt as though he’d gained Pep Guardiola’s trust at Manchester City following his then-British record £100million transfer.

The 28-year-old England regular struggled, initially, to make his mark for the Premier League champions as he got used to new surroundings and Guardiola’s system. Having taken that time, though, the ex-Aston Villa captain then played superbly in the run-in last season as City got their hands on a historic treble.

Grealish reckons the turning point came after the mid-season World Cup when he and the Three Lions were sent packing by France in agonising circumstances at the quarter-final stage. Upon his return, the 20-cap forward went on to grab four goals and seven assists in a 20-game stretch.

He played 89 and 90 minutes in the FA Cup and Champions League showpieces. Grealish also started 15 matches straight in the Premier League before the club’s third consecutive title was rubber-stamped.

During his latest appearance on the club’s podcast, the popular playmaker spoke at length about his career to date at the Etihad Stadium and beyond – including the exact moment when he first felt as though he had Guardiola’s unwavering trust. Grealish said: “I’m a big confidence player, I want to feel loved.

“I came back from the World Cup and my first game was against Leeds and I should have scored at least two goals in the first half and at half-time, I was dwelling on that. But in the second half, I made two assists for Erling.”