No goals but Blues are making dear progress

Grealish helping to inject more threat into Everton's play

- By CHRIS BEESLEY

FOUR years ago when Jack Grealish became the first Englishman to command a £100million transfer fee on joining Manchester City, David Moyes, then with West Ham, declared him to be the best player in the Premier League.

But for all his dazzling displays, both at Villa Park and the Etihad, Grealish went into this fixture having been named Premier League Player of the Month for the first time and it took him until the week of his 30th birthday to receive the honour.

In the end it was teammate Kiernan DewsburyHall who handed him the trophy, which was fitting given the way the two summer signings have dovetailed in their attacking midfield roles.

This is of course just the start for Grealish, who is looking for a major revival of his career at Hill Dickinson Stadium, and he'll be aiming for greater prizes, namely a place in England’s squad at the World Cup finals next summer.

Saturday's game was a spiky affair for Grealish and his teammates alike against his boyhood club, but it was also an afternoon of frustration for Everton as they were unable to make their dominance count.