Man City’s FIFA Club World Cup campaign has got off to the perfect start.
The Premier League outfit open their campaign against Moroccan side Wydad AC on Wednesday in Philadelphia as part of Group G, and many were wondering how seriously the Manchester club would take the competition after reports stated that Pep Guardiola was not too bothered.
The starting XI that the legendary coach picked for the Wydad clash says otherwise, as many of City’s big stars were included, and it was one of them in Phil Foden, who opened the scoring very early on in the contest.
However, Andros Townsend doesn’t think the Englishman was the star of the show for the Manchester club’s opener, with the pundit heaping praise on a Man City star that he calls a “specialist”.
Phil Foden celebrates a goal with Omar Marmoush in Manchester City v Wydad AC.
Photo by Emilee Chinn – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Andros Townsend praises Jeremy Doku for role in Man City goal
Foden’s goal was the quickest at the Club World Cup so far, with the 25-year-old netting at 1 Minute and 54 seconds.
The midfielder did very well to get the ball on target, and it will do the England international the world of good as Foden is one Man City star who needs to impress this summer after a poor 2024/25 campaign.
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However, commenting on DAZN, Townsend was keen to credit Jeremy Doku’s role in the goal as the former Tottenham star believes it would not have happened without the winger.
“He needed that goal, Phil Foden. More for himself than anything else, but this goal is all about Jeremy Doku,” Townsend said.
“When you play against a low block, you need someone running in behind, you need a one v one specialist. Jeremy Doku runs in behind, gets a good ball into the box. Comes out to Foden, it is an easy enough finish in the end for him.”
Big season ahead for Jeremy Doku
The arrival of Pepijn Lijnders at Man City will see Guardiola’s team become a more intense and faster unit this season, and with the speed Doku possesses, the Belgian could play a key role in the upcoming Premier League campaign.
The winger has an incredible burst of pace and is lightning in transition, and if the 23-year-old could work on his end product, Guardiola would have a real weapon on his hands.
The Club World Cup provides Doku with a platform to prove himself, as the arrival of Rayan Cherki at Man City will provide the Belgian international with extra competition for the wide areas in the Premier League giants’ team, although the French star wants to play in the number 10 role.
Doku has got off to the perfect start in the United States, but he will need to do more if he is to cement a starting spot at Man City for the 2025/26 campaign.