Jack Grealish Shines for Everton Amid World Cup Speculations
Moments after the final whistle at Molineux, Jack Grealish leapt over an advertising hoarding to celebrate with Everton's ecstatic fans.
Grealish was greeted like a rock star, with enthusiastic supporters reaching out for a touch from the player who once again led his team to victory.
After spending much of the previous season on Manchester City's bench, he seems to have rediscovered his form since joining Everton on a season-long loan.
Following his two assists in the 2-0 win over Brighton last weekend, Grealish delivered another standout performance in Everton's 3-2 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
He has become the first Everton player to provide two or more assists in consecutive Premier League matches.
However, Grealish has not represented England since Thomas Tuchel took charge at the beginning of the year and was excluded from the latest squad for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.
"I am a big fan of Trent [Alexander-Arnold] and Jack Grealish," the England manager stated on Friday when questioned about their absence. "They are significant players and personalities, always in contention. I know both are eager to play, but in this camp, we opted for Reece James and Tino Livramento, and in Jack's position, we chose Rashy [Marcus Rashford] and Ebs [Eberechi Eze]. The competition is fierce."
With the tournament set to commence next June, does Grealish, who has earned 39 caps and scored four goals for his country, still have time to secure a spot in Tuchel's World Cup squad?
'He probably needs a bit of love and attention'
Last season, Grealish started only seven Premier League matches. Now, wearing the blue of Everton, he appears revitalized, having started two of his new team’s first three matches.
In addition to his two assists against Wolves, Grealish was narrowly denied a goal by Jose Sa, recording 60 touches, completing 35 passes, and finishing the match with a passing accuracy of 91.4%.
The former Aston Villa star also won seven free-kicks during his return to the West Midlands.
"He is even better than I thought," said Everton manager David Moyes after the match. "He probably needs a bit of love and attention. He needs to play regularly. Hopefully, he will continue to improve as the season progresses. He is making a significant impact with his assists and overall presence on the pitch. All credit to him for seizing the minutes he may not have had in recent years. What Jack brings us is that creative edge, which we hope translates into more goals."
When asked about Grealish's resurgence, Moyes remarked, "It’s all down to Jack and his desire to improve. Everyone has something to prove in life, and I believe Jack wants to demonstrate that he is a quality player. He is certainly showing that at the moment."
'Grealish is a maverick'
In the past two Premier League seasons while sidelined at Manchester City, Grealish managed just two assists. Now, after three games this season, he has already registered four.
At the beginning of the summer, Moyes emphasized the need for the club to recruit "elite players" to match their "elite new stadium." The arrival of Grealish has undoubtedly fulfilled that requirement.
In addition to his four assists over the last two matches, he played a crucial role in the buildup for Iliman Ndiaye's goal, which gave Everton a 2-1 lead against Wolves.
As the focal point of Everton's attack, the 29-year-old is thriving under Moyes's guidance. His four assists in the 2025-26 season are already the second highest for any Everton player since the start of last season, despite Grealish having logged over 1,000 minutes less than Dwight McNeil, who is in first place.
"We often discuss the absence of mavericks in the team. Jack Grealish is indeed a maverick, but he can also fit into a system and work hard for the team," remarked former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock in an interview with BBC Sport. "The home fans were on their feet last week at the new stadium because he was giving everything he had—he possesses that fighting spirit as well."
This time last year, Grealish, who transferred from Aston Villa to Manchester City in 2021 for a British record fee of £100 million, was preparing to represent his country. He scored the second goal in a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin under interim manager Lee Carsley. Since then, he has made only two appearances for the Three Lions. Will he be on the flight to the World Cup next summer?