Jack Grealish almost falls off Manchester City’s open-top bus parade twice

Jack Grealish twice had a narrow escape as he was saved from falling off Manchester City’s open-top bus during their title parade on Sunday.

City’s league-winning squad joined thousands of fans in the city centre on Sunday night to shake off the hangover from their 2-1 FA Cup final defeat by Man Utd the day before.

Despite the Wembley loss tempering the mood, crowds were extensive, with thousands lining the streets through Deansgate and beyond.

And footage showed Grealish coming dangerously close to disaster as he was celebrating City’s latest title win.

The £100 million record signing, one of the stars of last year’s parade as he took his jersey off and celebrated in the rain, was seen partying again before the bus moved forward, jolting him close to the edge. Team mate Jeremy Doku was on hand to catch Grealish and avoid him falling.

In a separate incident, a fan captured Grealish alongside Ruben Dias at the top as he sang with fans. As the bus moved, both players were unsteady on their feet but Dias managed to catch Grealish to avoid a fall.

City were forced to wait until late in the evening after the Great Manchester Run took place on the same day, and under threatening skies the atmosphere could not compete with their trophy parade 12 months earlier when they were celebrating the treble.

Pep Guardiola moved to ease immediate memories of Saturday’s loss to United by telling the gathered crowds: “We’ll be back next season – the FA Cup, we’ll take it.

“Even myself, I couldn’t expect to stay here eight years but everything goes well. Step by step we are here. It looks routine but it’s not routine.”

But when asked if he would “please stay forever”, the 53-year-old could only laugh.

City’s player of the season Phil Foden echoed his manager’s sentiment that he and his team-mates wanted to win even more next term.

“It’s been a special season,” the England star said. “Obviously (four in a row) is something nobody else has done before. It’s an unbelievable feeling.

“There is a hunger inside me to win trophies and the other players want to win as well. We’re delighted with this season but next season we want to go again and win more.”

Erling Haaland made a foul-mouthed start to his own interview before saying he “can’t complain” after a season which brought a second straight Premier League Golden Boot, having scored 27 in the league and 38 in all competitions.

“It’s been lovely again and a fourth in a row, it’s amazing this club,” the Norwegian said. “I’m so proud of everybody and happy.

“There have been many good moments but when we knew we were going to win the league, I have to say (that was the best one).

“The support home and away has been unbelievable. I’m proud. What can I say?”

Grealish was notably more restrained in his title celebrations than he had been last year, when he ripped off his shirt to lap up adoring crowds from atop the same bus.

Instead, it was club captain Kyle Walker who grabbed the microphone this time, setting off fans on renditions of “City’s won four in a row.”

Bernardo Silva also suggested memories of the United defeat were not weighing too heavily on the players as they look back instead at another record-breaking season. “It’s incredible, it’s special, it’s never been done before,” he said of the team’s fourth straight title. “It’s time to celebrate now with our people. We were looking forward to it and now is the time.

“It’s special for me individually of course, but what we are doing as a team it just goes beyond any expectation anyone has and I think that at the end of the day is the thing I’m most proud of.”

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