Bernardo Silva believes Jack Grealish is now thriving at Manchester City after taking the traditional 12 months to adapt under Pep Guardiola.
The Englishman moved to the Etihad from Aston Villa in the summer of 2021 for £100m - then a British record fee. That price tag seemed to weigh heavy on the playmaker, who struggled to regularly produce once he was surrounded by stars, as he scored just six times.
He was in and out of the team but this term has found a home on the left flank and continues to go from strength to strength, putting in one of his best displays in the win over Liverpool. Bernardo himself didn't make an immediate impact when he arrived from Monaco in 2017.
However in his second year he was a standout performer and was named the club's Player of the Year. Riyad Mahrez endured a similar trajectory after joining from Leicester in 2018 as he too needed a season to get up to speed and understand Guardiola's demand.
Bernardo is now confident that Grealish has gone through the same process and is now poised to continue growing: "He's been really, really good. Against Liverpool he was unbelievable. The first season at City is not easy. For me it wasn't simple - not easy for Riyad (Mahrez). People just think you're going to come into one of the best teams in the world and are going to start every game and be the best player every game.
"It just doesn't work that way. The manager demands a lot from the players, it's a different style of play to most of the other teams. You have to get used to it. Sometimes it takes time. When you have tough moments you just have to accept it and keep going. Now Jack is doing well and I'm really happy for him - he deserves it."
Grealish has bagged four goals this term, but often shone in big games, scoring in the win over Arsenal several months ago. City are not short of options in the attacking third but the Englishman has featured in 22 of the 28 league games thus far. Guardiola was full of praise for his player as they shared an embrace on Saturday.
The former Villa man played a vital role in several of City's goals as they swept aside Liverpool at the Etihad. It was among their best performances over the season as they recovered from going 1-0 down with Arsenal still very much in their sights.
Bernardo has helped Guardiola's side win four of the last five league titles and success this term would make them just the second side in the Premier League era to win three on the bounce. "I think we're playing our best football of the season," said their Portuguese star. "Where we are at the moment is the best we've played, by far. We have to keep the momentum."
