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JEREMY DOKU WOWS CROWD BUT PEP GIVES UNDERSTATED SNUB
Pep Guardiola praised Jeremy Doku's "outstanding" performance in Man City's 3-0 win over Liverpool but stated the winger will "never be a top scorer." Doku tormented Liverpool's defence, but his final-third composure remains a focus.
Jeremy Doku shone against Liverpool - Photo Credit: REUTERS
Even though Jeremy Doku played a key role in Manchester City's 3-0 victory over Liverpool, manager Pep Guardiola still found time to provide some helpful criticism of the Belgian.
At the Etihad Stadium, City easily defeated the defending Premier League champions, marking Guardiola's 1,000th game as manager and one of their most comprehensive performances of the season.
Erling Haaland's header, Nico Gonzalez's deflected effort, and Jeremy Doku's incredible curling goal sealed the three points and reduced Arsenal's advantage at the top of the table to just four points.
Even though Haaland's habit of scoring goals attracted the usual attention, Doku was the player who stood out the most that day, relentlessly harassing Liverpool's right-hand side, especially the young, highly regarded full-back Conor Bradley.
The directness, self-assurance, and flair of the Belgian winger were essential to Manchester City's attacking rhythm and gave fans a taste of the explosive form he has shown, if sporadically, thus far in his tenure at the club.
Nevertheless, Pep Guardiola told reporters at his press conference after the game that although if Jeremy Doku is a highly skilled player in many areas, he is not likely to become a primary goal scorer.
"To be honest, I do not think he will ever be a high scorer," Guardiola acknowledged. "However, he listens, he is pushing himself to improve, and he has unique dribbling skills."
The Manchester City manager went on, "I am incredibly impressed with Conor [Bradley], Liverpool's right-back! That guy can accomplish anything, according to Pep Lijnders, who told me a thousand wonderful things about him.
"I am aware of how impressive [he] was against Vinicius in the match versus [Real] Madrid—he is amazing, is not he? And he [Doku] took care of it! We attempted to assist him because he was aggressive and speedy without the ball. He played a fantastic game, you know!
Even though Jeremy Doku has emerged as one of Manchester City's most erratic offensive weapons, Pep Guardiola seems to think that consistency and final-third decision-making are still the best ways to advance his career.
Doku's return to full fitness has been a welcome boost to Manchester City's title chase following an injury-plagued campaign last season. His relationship with Erling Haaland is starting to take shape, as the Belgian's ability to move defenders out of position creates vital openings for the Norwegian to take advantage of.
Pep Guardiola's remarks could serve as crucial inspiration for Jeremy Doku in the future. There is no denying the winger's natural talent, and if he can add more poise in front of goal, City might soon have another top-tier offensive weapon at their disposal.
MAN CITY BOSS GUARDIOLA SENDS STRONG MESSAGE AFTER LIVERPOOL VICTORY
Pep Guardiola warns his Man City players they must improve to win the title, despite a 3-0 win over Liverpool. The manager demands more complete performances as the team aims to grow over the long season.
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Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola - COURTESY/PHOTO
In the upcoming months, Pep Guardiola has instructed his Manchester City players to get better as he watches for more comprehensive performances.
After dominating Liverpool in a 3-0 victory at the Etihad, City pulled within four points of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League. With ten goals scored and just two given up, it came after equally outstanding home wins against Bournemouth and Dortmund over the previous eight days.
Guardiola was thrilled with the "great present" of defeating his fiercest opponents at home to celebrate his 1,000th game. Additionally, he believes the squad has demonstrated that they are capable of competing with the league's top teams.
Guardiola cautioned, though, that his team can still get better as their name starts to come up in discussions about the title battle. The City manager highlighted elements of each of the previous three games that he has not enjoyed, saying that if his squad is to contend for trophies once more, they must be developing over the course of a lengthy season.
"I stated the team had a nice vibe when we lost against Aston Villa or at the start of the season, but do not ask me why," he continued. "The reason for this is that Khusa (Abdukodir Khusanov), who was not chosen, is on the bench today.
"We were unable to do that last season. The players we fielded caused us to lose energy. The four consecutive Premier Leagues, in my opinion, hurt us.
"I do not think this team has performed like that in a long time. It may be somewhat comprehensible. We made an effort to push one another, but we were unsuccessful.
"Even yet, we placed third, when in the Premier League, you would typically place tenth in that circumstance. We never gave up, and we were the Premier League's top team in the final 15 to 20 games.
"I have felt different overall since the Club World Cup, and last season was not the cause. I was the first, but everyone was participating, which is why.
"People try to feel that we are improving and competing. You do not win Premier Leagues in October or November. When a team is expanding each month and you reach the finals vying for the championship, you win the Premier League.
"You need to develop; it is not about the team that wins in September or October. You must constantly improve, even if you are at the top.
"We feel like we are in that state because we talk a lot. In many respects, it is good to still feel as though we are back.
"I did not like the final 30 minutes against Dortmund, the second half against Bournemouth, or the second half against Liverpool. The first half was not like this.
DOKU AND ERLING HAALAND UNSTOPPABLE: MAN CITY DISMANTLE LIVERPOOL — PLAYER RATINGS
Jeremy Doku starred with a goal and an assist as Man City dominated Liverpool 3-0 at the Etihad. The win, in Pep Guardiola's 1000th game, lifts City to 2nd in the Premier League table.
99 Premier League goals for Erling Haaland - Photo Credit: Manchester City FC
Pep Guardiola's 1,000th game as manager featured Jeremy Doku as Manchester City defeated Liverpool 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium to move up to second place in the Premier League standings.
After 63 minutes of a faultless display, Doku earned a goal for himself and was by far City's most dominant player.
On a day when Liverpool played poorly, that goal was the last piece of a very simple puzzle for City; previous goals from Nico Gonzalez and Erling Haaland gave Guardiola's team a lead.
When Virgil van Dijk grabbed Mohamed Salah's corner, Liverpool believed they had equalised, but Andy Robertson was offside and stopped the play.
Guardiola's team got out to a strong start, forcing Liverpool into a compact formation that was subsequently revealed. However, if Haaland had scored from the penalty spot just 13 minutes in, the draw might have been broken sooner.
Conor Bradley and Ibrahima Konate misplayed a loose ball inside the Liverpool penalty area, and the Frenchman lingered over it instead of clearing it, giving it to Doku.
The Belgium international had just a few seconds to get the ball back and skip past Mamardashvili before the Liverpool goalkeeper pulled him down, and a VAR review resulted in a penalty.
After 29 minutes, the Norwegian scored after Haaland tried to shoot into the bottom-right corner, but Mamardashvili brilliantly jumped off his line.
With players like Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, who alone cost Liverpool £79 million and £116 million, respectively, in attack, Arne Slot fielded a somewhat formidable team. However, the visitors' compact structure encouraged City to drive toward the goal almost automatically.
After a change of play, Matheus Nunes was sent down the right wing and crossed towards Haaland a few seconds after Ruben Dias had held the ball from 40 yards away.
Additionally, Konate once again failed to provide much protection for his team after letting Doku have the ball earlier. The forward jumped up and headed the ball into the top-right corner of the net.
The pressure on Liverpool continued after that first goal, and City had a chance to double their lead when Doku got the ball from Haaland on the left side of the box. Mamardashvili caught the winger's attempt to pass into space to Foden with relative ease.
Doku had already demonstrated that he was in his element at 26 minutes when he shrugged Bradley off the ball, turned onto his left foot with his back to goal, and fired towards the near post, but the Liverpool goalie parried that attempt as well.
Despite all odds, Liverpool believed they had equalised, and it was both skilful and discouraging for Guardiola's team. Andy Robertson went ahead of the ball as it was headed into the net, and Van Dijk's thunderous header at the end of Salah's corner was ruled offside.
Before halftime, that seemed to have soured Slot's team's mindset, but not before Nico Gonzalez gave City a second lead in the third minute of injury time.
Gonzalez had the opportunity to shoot from 24 yards out as Liverpool stuck to their defensive-minded lineup, and City's attacking threat never appeared to slow down.
After bouncing off the outside of Van Dijk's boot and bouncing past a misfiring Mamardashvili, it took a little luck for the ball to end up in the net, but the expansion of City's lead was well-earned.
The home team again played well in the second half, creating additional issues for the Liverpool defence as Doku ducked past Bradley and Ryan Gravenberch to create a shot in the top-right corner.
Given that Doku had performed at his peak this season, there was a sense of expectation that he would score, and he did so in the 63rd minute.
The defender pulled back a long pass that Gonzalez had delivered to O'Reilly on the left, and Doku, facing Konate on the outskirts of the area, plucked the ball into the top-right corner.
Cody Gakpo wasted a clear chance at the back post, while Gonzalez almost scored an own goal around the hour mark, giving Liverpool a slight advantage.
Salah also had a chance to rally his struggling team in minute 79, but his left-footed attempt slipped past the base of City's far post even though it cleared Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Here is how we ranked the City players following their pivotal victory at the Etihad Stadium. That opportunity essentially summed up Liverpool's performance that day as City won handily well before the final whistle and secured their place in second place in the Premier League standings.
Player Ratings
Gianluigi Donnarumma – 7.5
City’s goalkeeper was hardly tested during the match. The only real challenge came when Salah made a weak right-footed shot after an eight-minute fast break.
Matheus Nunes – 8
He was solid down the right side all evening and didn’t give Gakpo much space for long stretches. He produced a stunning cross for Haaland, who scored from it.
Rúben Dias – 7.5
He led the defence with the authority that Guardiola’s side needed at times, especially when Liverpool tried to counter. He made a fantastic tackle to deny Salah a scoring chance.
Josko Gvardiol – 7
He excelled as a strong presence in the back. He lunged into tackles with determination and quickly judged long balls.
Nico O’Reilly – 7.5
Motivated by his second consecutive England call-up on Friday, he challenged Salah down the left side, even if he was caught out on the counter-attack sometimes. He assisted Doku’s excellent goal.
Bernardo Silva – 7
He moved all over the pitch and demonstrated why he is the captain. He never stopped running and helped set up Gonzalez’s long-range goal.
Nico González – 8
He received an unnecessary yellow card in the 27th minute for pulling Wirtz down, but he made up for it with strong play in transition and scored just before halftime.
Phil Foden – 8
He was a constant threat on Sunday and excelled as a creator. Foden showcased his dribbling skills in City’s defensive third, navigating danger effectively, and contributed to attacks as well.
Rayan Cherki – 7
He came close in the first half when a deflected effort went over the bar. At the moment, he seems to be a better option off the bench.
Jeremy Doku – 9 (POTM)
Where do we start? He delivered an outstanding performance, giving Liverpool’s defence, especially Bradley, nightmares. He truly deserved his goal just after the hour mark.
Erling Haaland – 8
He missed an early penalty but bounced back, scoring just 16 minutes later with a looping header past Mamardashvili.
Substitutes
Savinho – 7
He came off the bench and made an immediate impact with his tight dribbling down the right, causing problems for the exhausted away defence.
Omar Marmoush – 7
He had a feel-good introduction that created a few chances. The Egyptian was active on the edge of the Liverpool area and saw a shot blocked near the end.
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