Maddison vs Grealish: Friends forced into rivalry, but which deserves England or United call?
As Leicester host Aston Villa in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, if reports are to be believed yesterday's losing semi-finalists will be keeping a close eye on two players in particular.
Manchester United have apparently earmarked James Maddison and Jack Grealish as ideal additions to the club's rebuild, with a lack of creativity in midfield a key area for improvement. The Red Devils would of course be interested in one or the other rather than both, although in all likelihood will be unable to sign either this month.
The club have reportedly already made an initial offer for Maddison, which would suggest the Leicester star may be their first choice but also may be a realisation that he is the more realistic target right now.
While undoubtedly a crucial player for the Foxes, Leicester are in a comfortable position in the table and could conceivably retain their position in the Champions League places without him given the talent elsewhere in the squad.
It's a different matter entirely for Villa, who rely so heavily for inspiration from Grealish and would be all but giving up on Premier League survival by agreeing to sell their star man. In essence, United would have to offer a suitable amount for Villa to accept relegation, such is his importance to their top-flight status.
Manchester United's apparent interest is just the latest example of the two being forced to do battle. Ironically both playmakers are close friends off the pitch but on it they are very much rivals, not just when directly going head-to-head but also for the affections of a certain Mr Gareth Southgate too.
While James Maddison has been involved in numerous England squads and earned a first senior cap late last year, Grealish is yet to receive international recognition, and his pal across the Midlands is certainly not helping his growing case for inclusion.
But which is the better player and do they differ enough, if not to be included in the same lineup than in the same squad ahead of the Euros in the summer?
There is no question that the two are comparable, both preferring to operate and pull strings from the middle of the pitch but able to play off the left too. Moreover, at first glance their attacking statistics are strikingly similar.
Both have six Premier League goals this season, with Grealish managing that tally from fewer shots and thus boasting a better conversion rate. The Villa man also has two more assists to his name, with five, and suggestions that he doesn't contribute enough in terms of either must surely now be classed as nonsense.
When speaking on which of the two players he would like to see United sign, former Red Devil Paul Parker opted for Maddison on the basis that Grealish wasn't consistent enough. Well, the Villa star has had a hand in at least one goal in over half of his league appearances since the start of 2019, so Parker's idea of consistency is certainly different to mine.
He edges out Maddison by the narrowest of margins in both dribbles (2.1) and key passes (2.7) per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, but a deeper dive into the latter suggests that Grealish is certainly the more inventive of the two.
Only 11.5 per cent of the 52 chances the 24-year-old has created this season have come from set piece situations, while such duties account for over half (51 per cent) of Maddison's overall haul of 49. Indeed, only Kevin De Bruyne (53) has created more chances from open play in the Premier League than Grealish (46), while Maddison ranks equal 14th, some way back on 25.
The Leicester star does outperform Grealish in other areas, however, and his defensive work rate is one of them. He averages an impressive 2.1 tackles per 90 to the Villa man's more modest 1.3 and, in arguably taking slightly fewer risks in possession, is dispossessed less often - just 1.1 per 90 to Grealish's 1.7.
As such one could argue Maddison is the more team orientated player, though it's fair to say much of Grealish's individualism has been forced onto him. He wouldn't want it any other way, admitting that he likes being the go-to-guy for his boyhood club, but Maddison support cast is far stronger. Another tick in Maddison's checklist would be that he plays in a side and system far more similar to that of England, or Manchester United for that matter.
Nevertheless, look beyond the identical goals and near-identical key pass and dribble statistics and there are clear differences between the two and undoubtedly qualities that would be a huge asset to any international manager. Maddison is perhaps the stronger team player, Grealish the better individual talent.
That said, the two are quite simply England's best creative midfielders at present and there's no reason why there shouldn't be room for more than one in Southgate's squad.
As far as Wednesday night's game is concerned, and indeed the semi-final double header as a whole, it will likely be a similar story from when the last time the two met at Villa Park. On that day Maddison flourished in an excellent team display, while Grealish was left to carry the lion's share of the attacking burden upon himself, scoring the hosts' goal in an ultimate 4-1 defeat.
Either way the England and Manchester United bosses will be watching with great interest and so too should the neutrals witnessing each team's talented 10s vie for affection once more.
