Man City v Liverpool: I should become more selfish

Before the FA Cup semi- final between Manchester City and Liverpool, Kelly Somers sat down with Jack Grealish at the Academy Stadium to interview him.

She interviewed Grealish in the summer during England's Euros campaign, when they discussed his close relationship with his sister, who suffers from cerebral palsy, and his love of playing football just for the joy of it - this time they focused on his start to life at Manchester City.

As Jack Grealish enters the room, I explain what we are doing and he nod as he gets his microphone on - because of Manchester City's busy schedule in the build-up, we are speaking 10 days before their FA Cup semi-final againstLiverpool.

He asked as he took his seat alongside me, "So we aren't talking aboutLiverpool?"

This is all about you. I have some statistics on your season, I reply.

Grealish takes the slightly unique nature of our interview in his stride, like he isn't fazed by the noise that followed his big money move.

• Jack Grealish's journey to the England number seven shirt

Focusing on the numbers

He has mentioned many times this season that he pays attention to the numbers.

As an attacking player, you want goals and assists. He tells me that he should have more assists.

I think I need to get myself in goal scoring positions a little bit more, but I know it is not all about goals and assists. I feel like I contributed to the big games we have won.

When people only pay attention to the number of goals, does it frustrate him?

He smiles and hesitates.

I can see why people say it. He explains that it has been different.

I sat down with the manager and the analyst guys from City and they showed me the expected assists and successful passes that an attacking player should have.

I just need a few to fall my way.

Needing to be more selfish

He has touches in the box that are in the top three in the league at the time, but he is not bothered by that.

He says he shoots way less than anyone. If I score in training, the guys are like, "Why don't you shoot more?"

I probably should be more selfish. I don't think I count myself as a selfish player. I will give it to someone if they are in a better position.

I love the feeling of having an assist, players coming over and thanking you for their goal. It is just nice.

Scoring is the best feeling in football, but I just love assisting.

Dealing with the pressure

If you have heard Grealish speak before, you may have heard him say that pressure is a privilege, something he was told by his former coach Steve Burns.

With so much at stake for him and City, does this still ring true?

I think the most nervous I have ever been was in the semi-finals when I played for Villa.

As soon as I got on the pitch, I just felt at ease, and I have done this every day for my whole life.

Since then, I have never been affected by pressure. People have said that I feel pressure when I play, but I swear that I don't.

The most nervous I have ever been, apart from that day, was my first session at City.

There was no one there, there weren't any fans or anything, it was just the other players. If I made a bad pass, they would be thinking about a hundred million. He can not control the ball.

Sometimes with the price tag and all, this doesn't affect me at all, because he's such a big figure and trying to impress all these.

I want to help the team and chip in with goals and assists, because that is what I came here for.

In the past year, Grealish has played in a major European final for his country and become the premier league's most expensive player.

If pressure really is a privilege, then Grealish must feel blessed with City in a title race and the FA Cup semi-finals this weekend.