Man City: “He was complaining” - Latest Jeremy Doku, Matheus Nunes injury update from Enzo Maresca

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has delivered the latest update on the fitness of his squad ahead of their opening game of the 2026-27 Premier League season at home to Bournemouth on Sunday.

The Citizens suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat to reigning top-flight champions Arsenal in the Community Shield last week and concerns emerged post-match over Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes.

Doku was withdrawn at half time after aggravating a calf issue that he sustained during the 2026 World Cup with Belgium.

Nunes, meanwhile, was forced to pull out of the matchday squad after picking up a minor muscle problem during the warm-up at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

While Maresca has provided a positive update on Nunes, the Italian boss has confirmed that Doku will be sidelined for around two to three weeks.

Man City’s Doku emerges as an injury doubt for Manchester derby

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Maresca said: “At the moment, the only one [unavailable] is Jeremy Doku. Then Matheus is back. Jeremy (out), but the rest are all okay.”

Providing more details on Doku, Maresca added: “Unfortunately in the last game at half time he was complaining about a calf pain.

“The idea was that he would come off, the change was planned and at the moment, [he’s out for] two to three weeks, no more than that.”

Doku could therefore miss Man City’s opening three Premier League games of the season, with their opening-weekend clash against Bournemouth followed by an away trip to Crystal Palace and a home encounter with Coventry City.

The Belgian winger may also be a doubt for the first Manchester derby of the season against rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford on September 13.

Maresca heaps praise on Foden - but can he play with Cherki?

One player who will be available for selection this weekend is local lad Phil Foden, who has made a notable impression under Maresca during pre-season and is ready to put previous challenging seasons behind him.

"I think Phil, for me personally, had a good game [against Arsenal],” said Maresca. “You can see he's sharp, he's good. Since day one, he looks very, very good.

"People inside the building are saying to me that compared to last year or the last two years, he's a completely different player in terms of mood, what he's showing during sessions, and this is what we want.

"Phil is from the academy, from the house, so it's nice also for everyone to see him getting better and better."

Maresca also stated that Foden and fellow playmaker Rayan Cherki can "play together in different positions", but admitted they are "quite similar players", adding: "I think if you want to build an important team, you need competition inside the team.

“It's good that Phil with Rayan are in competition, but can play together in some games."

Meanwhile, Maresca has provided a fresh update on Man City’s transfer activity, commenting on Savinho, Rodri, Omar Marmoush and potential target Enzo Fernandez.