admin Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will keep an eye on the grudge match with Manchester United next weekend as he picks his squad to face Young Boys.
Manchester City start a testing week with a good three points on the pitch home in front of Brighton and Hove Albion rot in the Premier League.
With the return of Rodri at center and the long-awaited return of John Stones, it seems the Blues have begun to rediscover their clinical edge. However, there was one player who made a notable appearance on Saturday who may have earned his place in the team that travels to Old Trafford next weekend.
Jeremy Doku tormented the Brighton defenders and poor James Milner had to be replaced at half-time as the youngster’s pace caused too much trouble. After the match, Pep Guardiola explained that the decision to select the 21-year-old against the Seagulls was a calculated risk that paid off handsomely.
But the reason for his decision hints at when we might see Doku do it again. “Jeremy can play perfectly on the right wing, maybe he is not used to the left wing,” Guardiola told reporters. “Four years ago you had a left winger on the left and a right winger on the right. Now very difficult to find. [Kaoru] Mitoma on the right and left.Both can play. Jack [Grealish] had better control, not the speed to fight but the control, the decisive passes.
“Review of West Ham’s match and today. After West Ham, he [Doku] did not play one or two matches, he is a player with continuous matches, we have some doubts about continuing every three days. He’s not used to it but he’s an excellent winger, very intelligent.He is intuitive in recovering the ball.
“After the quality of putting one or two [players] on the field scoring the first goal and the many actions he’s made. I’m really pleased with the impact he’s had since he’s come to us I. A star for many years. this house.”
The manager added: “I’m thinking of a game with more transitions.Because the two teams confront each other, more fiercely. You lose the ball more than usual. This causes a transition. I think Phil [Foden] and Jeremy, with their pace, can help.”
Taking on Manchester United this weekend, the Blues can expect their opponents to try to be aggressive like Brighton.At home, the Red Devils are less likely to sit still: the crowd will push them to attack more.
This would open up transitions for City where a player like Doku could thrive. If he were recruited on the right wing, a position in which Guardiola believes he can play perfectly, he would most likely face Victor Lindelof, who is by no means a natural at left-back.
So using Doku in the derby could give him the chance to torment opponents in a similar way to what we saw on Saturday, making him almost guaranteed a spot prime for the big clash next week.
