Jeremy Doku has been in sparkling form over recent weeks.
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The stakes were incredibly high. As the match against Brentford approached the hour mark, Manchester City appeared to be heading toward a goalless draw—a result that would have effectively handed the Premier League title to Arsenal. Not mathematically, of course, but it would have been difficult to convince anyone that the race still had life.
Fortunately for City, Jeremy Doku is currently at his scintillating best. He capped another outstanding performance with a superb solo goal to break the deadlock. A scrappy finish from Erling Haaland followed, turning what could have been a tense finale into something far more enjoyable for City supporters. Omar Marmoush added a stoppage-time goal as a bonus.
The result leaves Pep Guardiola’s side two points behind Arsenal, with both teams having three games remaining.
**Is Doku on a one-man mission to keep City in the title race?**
It seems long ago now, but when Doku first joined City, the team was still rough around the edges and heavily relied on the Belgian to drive their attacks. Back then, their highest and widest player on the right wing was Kyle Walker, essentially filling a gap while everything funneled toward the left, where Doku constantly waited to dribble past opponents. Those were the days when he provided four assists against Bournemouth but often got into the box without much end product. Still, he always tried.
Fast forward a few years, and everything has been elevated several notches—though it is somewhat concerning that City still rely so heavily on him to carry their attack. His dribbling remains relentless, and while sometimes he could pick out teammates better when crossing, he has become more creative in those situations (and his defensive work has improved immensely). The same applies to his goal threat, though there has been a dramatic jump in recent days. Before Monday night, he had scored just four league goals. Since then, he has added three, all of them rockets.
After his two goals at Everton on Monday—including the 97th-minute equalizer that earned City an unlikely point—he broke the deadlock here just seconds after Guardiola made attacking substitutions. City needed a goal, and Doku once again stepped up. The dropped points on Monday mean the title is not in their hands, but if they have any chance of winning it, they will have Doku to thank.
**How is Rodri’s absence affecting City?**
When Rodri injured his groin in the victory against Arsenal three weeks ago, initial tests did not suggest much cause for concern, with the expectation that he would miss a couple of games at most. Unfortunately, the injury proved more complex than anticipated, and he was not even on the bench for this match. He is expected to play again this season and has resumed training, so City need not panic, but they could really use him back as soon as possible—especially with a congested fixture list against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth around the FA Cup final.
Nico Gonzalez struggled to cover for him at Everton on Monday and was overlooked for this game, with Tijjani Reijnders given the start. Yet the Dutchman was the first player taken off as Guardiola pushed for goals, leaving Bernardo Silva, who was on a yellow card, to hold the midfield alone. Only Haaland’s goal calmed things down and meant that extra midfield steel was not needed.
