Shay Given has named one ‘generational talent’ at Manchester City who he’s claimed would be an automatic selection for Liverpool if he were in Arne Slot’s squad.
The two clubs who’ve annexed the Premier League title between them for the past eight years have both had formidable line-ups who’ve sparked myriad debates about a combined XI and who’d be a starter for their respective rivals.
While we suspect that many Reds supporters would privately love to have Erling Haaland or Kevin De Bruyne at Anfield (the latter was reportedly the subject of an offer from Merseyside last month), the former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper believes there’s another player at the Etihad Stadium who’d easily get into the LFC team.
Given claims Grealish would ‘walk into’ Liverpool’s starting XI
Given has been singing the praises of Jack Grealish, insisting that the Man City winger is still a phenomenal player despite a tough couple of years under Pep Guardiola.
The 49-year-old told Metro: “I think Jack has been a generational talent, I really do. I think Jack can play for every single team in the country. I remember not so long ago he was playing a central role for England when they played Ireland last year. He was the star man; he was phenomenal that day.
“He is only 29; he still has three or four brilliant years ahead of him at the top. Having not played recently, he will be really hungry to go out there and show how good he is.
“I wouldn’t want to name clubs but at the same time I think he walks into any team in the country – that even includes Liverpool or Chelsea or anyone. I think he just needs to be given a batch of games to show how good he is back in that central position and not out wide.”
Grealish doesn’t get in Liverpool’s team ahead of Gakpo or Diaz
While we respect Given as one of the best goalkeepers of the Premier League era (and arguably the best that Ireland has ever produced), we’d have to disagree with him on his verdict about Grealish getting into the Reds’ starting XI.
Since joining Man City for Aston Villa for £100m four years ago, the winger has scored just 17 goals in 157 appearances. When considering the team in which he plays, his position on the pitch and his transfer fee, that’s a rather underwhelming output, especially in comparion to his left-sided counterparts at Anfield.
Luis Diaz netted 17 times in 50 matches during the 2024/25 season alone, and even that was surpassed by Cody Gakpo’s 18 goals in 49 games (Transfermarkt).
Darwin Nunez is continually derided among British media (and plenty of Liverpool fans) for his lack of end product, but he’s still found the net 40 times in 143 outings for the Reds, whose initial £64m outlay on him in 2022 was substantially less than what City paid for Grealish.
We don’t dispute that the England international has an abundance of innate talent – the BBC’s Neil Johnston dubbed him ‘undroppable‘ when Guardiola’s side won the treble two years ago – but the current version of him doesn’t get into the starting XI at Anfield, despite Given’s belief to the contrary.
We’re more than happy for Slot to continue choosing between Gakpo and Diaz for the left winger berth in L4!
