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Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson has backed Jack Grealish to put himself in contention for the World Cup next summer while on loan at Everton— but says he must keep things "lowkey."
Grealish has started well under David Moyes and has created the most chances of any player this season in the Premier League, alongside Florian Wirtz. But he suggested this week that certain decisions he has made have not always been the most professional and have perhaps held him back.
The player made a $135 million (£100 million) move to Manchester City in 2021 but never really got going under Pep Guardiola. This season, he has been shipped out on loan.
"I like what I'm hearing from Jack," Johnson told 10bet. "I think he knows that his personality is what got him to where he was at Aston Villa and Manchester City.
"And yes, of course, he likes to go out and sometimes you can get away with it. But sometimes, you need to hide it a bit, keep it lowkey.
"He doesn’t need to pretend or change his character. He needs some of that, because he needs that flair on the pitch. It’s who he is.
"If he is staying professional, and he’s not partying at the wrong times, then he can live his life.
"He’s a sociable, young lad, but ultimately he needs to make sure he’s living in a way that keeps him at his very best on the pitch.
"He needs to do his job and the socialising needs to come second, which is probably what he's owning up to now.
"Like I say, you don't want to take that away from him because that's his character. But yes, you do need to rein it in a little bit and maybe do it more undercover, and at the right times."
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Phil Foden is expected to be recalled into the England squad for the October internationals. However, Thomas Tuchel is not expected to pick Grealish despite his early-season form.
"People go, 'he likes to go out, he likes to party,' and I do," Grealish told Sky Sports last week. "I want to be able to live my life and enjoy myself, but obviously there's a time and a place to do that.
"Sometimes, I'll be honest with you, I probably haven't picked the right times. At City, I didn't help myself at times, I'll openly say that, but then I don't think it was all down to that."
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