Jeremy Doku’s “power” at Man City assessed as “most explosive dribbler in world football” enjoys purple patch under Pep Guardiola

Jeremy Doku possess an “immense” level of power at Manchester City and has ‘matured’ into a key creative player under manager Pep Guardiola, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.

The 23-year-old winger had shown flashes of brilliance during his first two campaigns at the Etihad Stadium following his £55m transfer from Rennes, and he is now enjoying a purple patch for the Citizens this term, taking advantage of the absence of both Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki through injury.

After registering two assists in Man City’s 3-0 derby triumph over Manchester United earlier this month, Doku scored a brilliant individual goal in the Citizens’ 2-0 Champions League win over Napoli, before producing a man-of-the-match performance in last weekend’s 5-1 victory at home to Burnley in the Premier League.

Doku, who gave Kyle Walker and Burnley’s backline a torrid time down the left flank, played an important part in forcing City’s opener - an own goal by Maxime Esteve - before assisting Erling Haaland’s first of two goals towards the end of the match.

It has long been hoped that Doku would improve his end product for Man City and McInerney believes that the Belgium international has made notable tweaks to his game that is helping the winger become a “game-changer” for Guardiola’s side.

“Explosive” Doku is “the best dribbler in tight spaces in world football”

“I do think his game's changed and a lot of that will be by design, but some of it's also by maturity,” McInerney told Sports Mole following Man City’s win over Burnley.

“I do think the fact that he's playing a bit more centrally every now and then - I know a lot of his good work still comes from out wide, in particular [against Burnley] - but he is drifting a bit more centrally.

“He is picking passes a little bit more. He is being more involved in the creative play overall and this sort of suits him. I don't know whose idea that was, but I really like Doku with his explosive ability - most famously this season against Luke Shaw against Man United when he just went past him centrally, it was unstoppable - he's really effective.

“Doku has never had any issues beating people. Guardiola said after the game there's no player in the world better over five to 10 metres than Doku, and I agree with that.

“I think he's the most explosive dribbler in world football. The best dribbler in tight spaces in world football, which is crazy to say out loud, but I think it's genuinely true.

Doku is an “absurd talent” making ‘steps in the right direction’

“He's an absurd talent that way, but it's more of a case of can he add that finishing touch and so on, and can he actually create more? I think he is. Previously, if you looked at Doku, it felt like his main goal was to beat a player time and time again, and I think that's how he measured his ability.

“If you've grown up being the best dribbler, you're going to focus on that, but the standards at Man City are so high and that's just not enough to be a great dribbler. It might have been in Ligue 1 when he was playing for Rennes or over in Belgium or so on, but at City, you can't just be the best dribbler, you have to be better than that.

“You have to be creating chances as well and I think he's learned that. After a couple of years in the Premier League, he's realised he’s got to add a little bit more. Previously, I think if he saw two or three people, he'd see that as a challenge, and if he'd drawn two or three people towards him, [he felt that he’d] already won.

"I think that's the step that he's made in his head. Now, instead of trying to beat them, he's just passing it instead. He's already created so much space by his sheer presence, which is a testament to his ability. That doesn't happen unless you've spent two or three years being a great dribbler in the Premier League.”

McInerney believes that Doku is taking a “step in the right direction” and his Man City teammates, including Haaland, Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden who all like to make positive runs into the penalty box, will benefit from Doku’s creative improvements.

“The power in the palm of Doku’s hand is immense”

“As much as everyone [has said] he had no end product, he was creating a reputation and he was creating that fear factor. Now he's getting at people, he's looking up and he's passing it into the box to someone like Haaland a few times this season already, and that to me is a step in the right direction,” said McInerney.

“I think Guardiola was right. He said afterwards he feels like he's taken a step forward in his decision-making and I think he really has. I think he's understanding sometimes he’s got to just pass it because people will be drawn to him. That natural presence he's got, he's going to create so much space, and we've got runners these days.

“Not just Haaland like it was last season, Tijjani Reijnders is there, Phil Foden is there because he's finding his form again. People are getting into the box. When [Omar] Marmoush comes in, I think he has got a chance to play on the right, and I wouldn't usually expect that, but I think because of the way that we're playing right now, I think Marmoush might have a chance (on the right) and he'll thrive off it.

“Right now, Doku looks like a man who understands the assignment a bit more. He understands the power that he's got. The power in the palm of his hand is immense because you are an immediate game-changer if you get the ball and everyone needs to be near you to defend you. That means Haaland’s free, Reijnders is free, Foden's free, and I think Doku right now can sense that. He looks like a complete winger right now.”

McInerney has also shared his views on Man City’s overall performance against Burnley and explains why there is reason for Citizens supporters to be optimistic in the coming weeks.

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