Jeremy Doku celebrates Manchester City's first goal against Juventus
Jeremy Doku celebrates Manchester City's first goal against Juventus
Without wishing to get too giddy about it, Manchester City are starting to look like Manchester City again. Three wins from three at the Club World Cup is certainly what any club with their ambitions would want - and they are the only team in the tournament to have managed it - but it was more than the result against Juventus that made this by far their most pleasing outing yet this summer.
The good news arrived and confirmation that was starting for the first time since he suffered that serious knee injury last September. With new captain Bernardo Silva and alongside him, times have certainly changed since the Spaniard last made an XI.
Reijnders was one who really caught the eye with a stylish performance that gave life to the team in the final third. Ilkay Gundogan's successor did a successful imitation of the way his teammate both gets into the box and chips into it for others, while there was also a pinpont ball through to Matheus Nunes to allow to tap in City's third.
That was Nunes's second assist of the game after he made another good run onto Savinho's pass, albeit there was no danger until Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu inexplicably turned the ball past his own goalkeeper. That possibly made Ederson feel better about his own gaffe, misplacing a kick in his own box to allow Teun Koopmeiners to equaliser early in the game.
Club World Cup on DAZN
That cancelled out Jeremy Doku's opener after the Belgian winger had picked up Ruben Dias's pass in the box and cut inside his man before firing home. The goal was textbook City from happier days for them, pulling their opponents this way and that before striking clinically.
It also felt like by far City's most complete performance of the tournament. Despite them conceding for the first time, it was an obvious unforced error that gave that and that was the only shot on target Juventus until the 84th minute.
City had scored five by then, which was again encouraging. The game was won at 3-1 and the conditions certainly gave an excuse for easing off the gas, only the Blues refused to let up with substitutes coming on and wanting to make their mark.
There were notable appearances on the scoresheet for Doku and Savinho, with the former finishing well inside the box to start the rout and the latter smashing home a rocket from the edge of it to complete it. Both wingers were guilty of not being productive enough last season, with lots of potential not quite being realised.
Perhaps the addition of Rayan Cherki has focused minds on the intense competition for places, perhaps the arrival of Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri have simply made City a better team - Doku certainly enjoyed linking up with those two against Juventus - or could it be just a natural maturing for a 23-year-old and a 21-year-old respectively. City need their forwards to improve their goal output sooner rather than later, and Doku in particular looks to be rising to the challenge.
If City's signings can bring out the superstars that were already in the squad waiting to emerge, it will already be money well spent.
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