Revealed: Miguel Almiron’s classy Newcastle United response to Jack Grealish’s cruel jibe

‘Playing like Almiron’ was deemed an insult when Jack Grealish slurred the phrase back in May during Manchester City’s title celebrations. Five months on, it would now be considered a compliment.
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Newcastle United winger Miguel Almiron has been in scintillating form so far this season with seven goals to his name, including six in his last six matches in October. In the space of a month, the Paraguayan has already scored more Premier League goals than the £100million Man City signing has managed since joining the club in the summer of 2021.

Grealish was criticised for his comments which appeared to insult his fellow professional as he stated his Manchester City team-mate Riyad Mahrez should have been substituted in a match for ‘playing like Almiron’.

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But rather than hit back at the England international, Almiron has let his football do the talking this season. The Paraguayan’s Newcastle team-mate Callum Wilson revealed that Grealish’s comments had been discussed behind the scenes at the club, but Almiron’s response was a dignified one.

Goalscorer Miguel Almiron celebrates after scoring the fourth Newcastle goal with Callum Wilson during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa at St. James Park on October 29, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Goalscorer Miguel Almiron celebrates after scoring the fourth Newcastle goal with Callum Wilson during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa at St. James Park on October 29, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Goalscorer Miguel Almiron celebrates after scoring the fourth Newcastle goal with Callum Wilson during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Aston Villa at St. James Park on October 29, 2022 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Wilson said on the Footballer’s Football Podcast: “That comment was made and I didn’t even realise the comment had been made until recently and when someone was saying it I was like ‘why what’s been said?’“I was oblivious to it and someone was saying that Jack said this and that, and [Almiron] is just like South American, such a nice guy, really happy, he didn’t even really comment on it, you know. He just shrugged his shoulders.“I think internally he probably used it as motivation and it's driven him but he hasn’t said anything to me. His English is quite good and I can imagine it was a little bit frustrating to hear that about himself so he thought, I’ve put some respect on my name."

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Wilson has finished as Newcastle’s top scorer in each of his two seasons at the club despite battling injury issues throughout. Yet after 13 games, it’s Almiron who leads the way as United’s top scorer, one goal ahead of the No. 9.

“He's doing a madness to be fair to him and I'm so happy for him because he's a player who non-stop works on and off the ball,” Wilson added. “Before this season and this spell of games where he's been scoring, I think he'd scored like two in 40 odd games or something like that, maybe even more.

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"Now, he's got that confidence of taking shots on so he's finding the balance of shooting at the right time. Still not passing 100% at the right time, to my disappointment, you know what you're like as a striker you like [shouts] Miggy!

"But he's doing well and you give the ball to him and you get an assist. I got an assist [against Aston Villa] but to be honest, I didn't do a lot, I just pulled away in a pocket.

“He's had that quality from training from when I arrived and it's just about putting that into practice in games. It's down to his hard work and the manager getting the best out of him and us as a team.”