Pep Guardiola has claimed Jack Grealish’s performance against Southampton was his best since joining Manchester City last summer.

The champions’ title defence was dealt a minor blow on Saturday when they dropped two points at St Mary’s.

City fell behind in the early stages to a Kyle Walker-Peters strike and were far off their brilliant best in the first half against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men.

However, the Blues responded in the second period, with Aymeric Laporte’s header getting them back on level terms.

It proved to be the final goal of the game, with a number of City players appearing frustrated at their inability to find that winning strike.

Chief among them was Grealish, who had an on-field confrontation with Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu. However, speaking after the game, Guardiola brushed off the coming together and insisted it was the England international’s best showing for City since signing.

“The best game he has played since he has been with us, by far. He had an exceptional performance, he played really well,” the former Barcelona manager responded in the post-match press conference.

“When he has the ball, what he has done, and when we don’t have the ball, what he has done [were great]. Against a team that defends so narrow, it is not easy. He played exceptional.

“At Aston Villa, he played wide and moved wherever he wants and comes inside,” Guardiola continued. “I think he is the perfect player to play in between the lines.

“He is so aggressive, he makes incredible runs, he dropped Southampton to the byline. His decision-making is excellent, he has two almost clear chances to dribble and shoot and they were blocked. He played really well and I am so satisfied.”

These Guardiola’s comments on Grealish were shared on Twitter by City Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters.

It’s weird this man sees things others can’t https://t.co/jFEcWnjuzi

— N🅰️TÊ (@nathan_ie01) January 24, 2022

I swear for every game they play he just says it’s their best ever game 😭

— ¹⁰ (@SxrgioSZN) January 23, 2022

He is just getting to his best 😍

— ً (@TheImmortalDias) January 23, 2022

Even Mahrez and cancelo took a year to fully adjust to the system.
Grealish will turn out to be am amazing signing next year for sure.

— Müller (@Pep5Guardiola) January 24, 2022

Mahrez’s first PL season at City:
7 gls / 4 ast / 27 app

Mahrez’s second PL season at City:
11 gls / 12 ast / 33 app

It takes time.

— Amos Murphy (@AmosMurphy_) January 23, 2022

He’s been decent bordering on good, nothing amazing, but our signings rarely do deliver first season, just look at sane, mahrez, cancelo, rodri, bernardo. Im certainly not going to judge before the season is over, and even then he has until this time next year to really deliver👍

— Otto (@otto7474) January 24, 2022