Jack Grealish and Emiliano Martinez were seen in a heated discussion as they exited the pitch during Manchester City’s match against Aston Villa. With City struggling through their worst run of form under Pep Guardiola, the champions faced a crucial clash on Saturday, hoping to turn their fortunes around.

In a bid to shake things up, Guardiola made several changes to the lineup, including giving Grealish his first start at Villa Park since his £100 million transfer from the club in 2021. Villa took control early, with Jhon Duran scoring in the 16th minute to put the hosts ahead.

As the first half progressed, Grealish appeared frustrated, protesting the lack of stoppage time. The tension escalated as both teams made their way off the pitch, where Grealish exchanged words with his former teammate, Martinez. Erling Haaland intervened, trying to diffuse the situation as the two remained animated down the tunnel. Martinez was later booked by referee Peter Bankes for his involvement.

The situation worsened for City after the break when Morgan Rogers doubled Villa’s lead with a well-placed finish. Although Phil Foden managed to score late in the game—his first goal of what has been a disappointing season by his standards—City couldn’t mount a comeback. This defeat marked a grim statistic for City, as they have now won just once in their last 12 matches across all competitions, suffering nine losses in that stretch.