Jack Grealish and Emiliano Martinez were involved in a fiery exchange during Aston Villa’s 2-1 win over Manchester City on Saturday. The altercation, which took place as the players headed into the tunnel at half-time, added fuel to an already intense atmosphere at Villa Park.
The incident unfolded after Grealish, unhappy with the lack of added time in the first half, engaged in a heated conversation with his former Villa teammate Martinez. Cameras captured the goalkeeper shouting at Grealish: “You think you’re a big boy, huh?” Referee Peter Bankes booked Martinez for his involvement, but the tensions didn’t end there.
Villa fans booed Grealish throughout the match, making his return to his boyhood club anything but warm. Grealish responded to the taunts by holding up three fingers at full time, symbolizing the Premier League titles he’s won since leaving Aston Villa in 2021.
QUOTES:
Former England striker Michael Owen leapt to Grealish’s defense, blasting Villa fans for their treatment of the winger:
“To those Villa fans who booed Jack Grealish yesterday, you fall into the [jealous and spiteful] category and should hang your heads in shame. He gave you incredible service and made YOUR club over £100m when he left.”
Owen compared Grealish’s situation to his own experience of being booed by Liverpool fans, calling the treatment “sickening.”
On the other hand, Villa goalkeeper Martinez remained unapologetic after the incident, with insiders close to the player suggesting he simply “defended his team’s pride.”
RECALL:
The heated clash wasn’t the only dramatic moment of the day. Villa took the lead in the 16th minute through Jhon Duran and later doubled it thanks to former City academy player Morgan Rogers.
Phil Foden pulled one back in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough to salvage City’s poor form, as they succumbed to their ninth loss in 12 games—a record low under Pep Guardiola.
Grealish, who joined Villa’s academy at the age of six and spent 19 years at the club, has struggled to replicate his best form at City recently. Despite being part of their historic treble-winning campaign in 2023, he has now gone 45 club matches without a goal.
CITATIONS:
This story is based on reports from MEN Sport and footage from Sky Sports’ broadcast of the match. Additional reactions from Michael Owen were shared via his post on X.
KEEP IN MIND:
The heated exchange between Grealish and Martinez underscores the emotions that run high in football, particularly when former players return to their old clubs.
For City, the result leaves them searching for answers to arrest their poor form, while Villa continues to surge, delighting their fans in the process.
