Jack Grealish at a crossroads as Moyes admits Everton star’s form has dipped

This was always going to be a sensitive subject. And the look on David Moyes’ face when Jack Grealish’s name came up said everything.

Grealish is back and available for Everton, just in time for a highly emotional return to Villa Park, the stadium where he was once adored before leaving for a record fee.

But the heat he will feel from the Aston Villa crowd may not be as intense as the pressure he has faced inside Everton’s dressing room in recent weeks.

The turning point came on January 7 against Wolves. In a 1-1 draw, Grealish was sent off for the first time in his Premier League career after receiving two yellow cards for dissent — the second for sarcastically applauding the referee.

David Moyes was furious.

"I didn’t look for an apology. I just told him what I thought of him," Moyes said. "The words were strong enough that we didn’t need anything else."

Inside the club, the incident did not pass quietly. Moyes admitted: "He certainly let us down. He was told that by the players as well. I thought he was stupid to applaud the referee."

That red card may prove to be more than just a bad moment. It could mark a real crossroads in Grealish’s Everton career.

Moyes was the key reason Everton managed to bring him in on loan from Manchester City last summer. The move felt perfect: a crowd-pleasing star, a fresh start, and a chance to feel important again.

At first, it worked beautifully. In the opening months, Grealish looked refreshed, motivated, and dangerous. By the end of August, he had already quadrupled his assist tally from last season.

Talk quickly turned to a permanent transfer. If Everton had moved in 2025, the fee would have been close to £50 million. Next summer, that figure could drop to around £30 million. The move would suit Grealish, whose family is settled in the Northwest.

But then came the slowdown.

Before the November international break, Grealish played 10 matches, scoring once and adding four assists. Since then, he has made nine appearances with just one goal and two assists — both coming in a 4-2 defeat to Brentford.

The eye test matches the numbers:

• Fewer shots • Fewer chances created • Fewer touches in the opposition box • Less dribbling — and fewer successful dribbles

For a player whose biggest weapon is carrying the ball and beating defenders, that is a worrying trend.

His dip in form has mirrored Everton’s winter struggles, and it has been made worse by off-field distractions and now that costly red card.

Moyes is not a man who holds grudges, but he does demand standards.

"He is an experienced player and he should know there are levels you can go to and levels you can’t," Moyes said. "But he has trained fine, and he looks ok."

"What we brought him for was to be an influential player. In the main, he has been that. But his form has dropped over the last month."

The manager insists there are signs of improvement, and hopes Grealish is on the way back up again.

There would be no better place to prove it than Villa Park.

This is more than just another away game. It feels like a moment that could define the next chapter of his career.

For a £100 million footballer, this is the kind of night where reputations are either rebuilt — or questioned even louder.