Miguel Almiron breaks silence on Jack Grealish jibe with classy Newcastle United message

Back in May, Grealish said his City team-mate Riyad Mahrez should have been taken off as he was ‘playing like Almiron’. Since then, the Newcastle winger has enjoyed a remarkable turn of form with eight goals in 15 Premier League matches so far this campaign.

Six goals in six games in October saw Almiron claim the Premier League’s player of the month award. He has since scored another goal in the 4-1 win at Southampton before setting up Joe Willock’s winner against Chelsea on Saturday.

Ahead of the Chelsea match, Almiron was presented with the player of the month award and was quizzed on the comments made by Grealish at the end of last season.

“I don't think anything Jack said has anything to do with the form and performances that we've been showing as a group of players,” Almiron told Sky Sports. “Jack is a great player first and foremost and I wish him all the best as I always do but this success is down to work, more work and even more hard work.”

On being named player of the month, Almiron added: “Thank you very much for the award and the recognition but what I have got to say is thank you to my team-mates as well because without their help I wouldn't be getting the award so a lot of it is down to them.

“We had some fantastic moments shared together as a team and let's hope we can continue to have more into the future with great performances.

“We feel better in ourselves as players, we've improved as players. I think the manager has come here, instilled confidence in us and it's not just me that has benefited, the whole group and the whole squad has benefited from that as well.”

Newcastle head into the World Cup break sitting third in the Premier League table after 15 games. It is the club’s best start to a season since the 1995-96 campaign, when they came within touching distance of the league title only to finish second.