When Aston Villa first went down under Remi Garde, Grealish was seen as the one bright spark about the future. Given the club has gone through about four full squads worth of players since they went down and returned, Grealish has been there throughout. From the wild days in the Championship to the madcap summer of 2019, where the club signed many players, Grealish has always been more or less the first choice.

Watch him for a few minutes, and it’s easy to see why that is the case.

What makes Jack Grealish stand out?

Always touted as a player with tremendous ability, Grealish has started to live up to the hype in the last 24 months. His passing is arguably among the best in the top flight, as is his ability to hold on to the ball. When Grealish no longer wants the ball, he’ll either play a smart pass or win a foul. In fact, he’s among the most fouled players in the top flight – he knows just when and how to win a foul.

He’s also a great player for making sure that his team can shift from one end of the pitch to the other. His long-range passing is tremendous, as is his dribbling. Despite not being rapid fast, he can get Villa up the pitch quickly and easily with his vision.

What does Jack Grealish need to work on?

The main thing that Grealish needs to improve upon is his ability to cross. For someone with such natural technique, his crossing can be wayward. He would be well-suited working on this, as his overall ball technique is among the best in the UK. If he can get it together and improve on his crossing – as well as be a touch more dynamic from a defensive standpoint – Grealish could be essential to club and country.