If it hadn't been for Romelu Lukaku, Doku could have been playing for Liverpool on Sunday, giving Matheus Nunes and Ruben Dias the run around. The Reds set their eyes upon the winger when he was still a youth player with Anderlecht and saw him as a potential successor to Sadio Mane. Simon Mignolet, Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum were among the players to greet the Doku family at Liverpool's Melwood training ground in 2018 while Steven Gerrard - then a youth coach - showed them tactical videos.
It was an offer that Doku, aged 15 at the time, could hardly refuse. But Lukaku, who had also come through Anderlecht's academy and maintained good relations with staff, took it upon himself to change the youngster's mind and gave him a video call. It worked, and Doku stayed in Belgium for another two years before joining Rennes and eventually landing at City in 2023. And after this whirlwind display, City should send Lukaku a bottle of champagne in the post.
Doku was unplayable here, becoming the first Premier League player since compatriot Eden Hazard in 2019 to score, win 10 or more duels, complete seven or more dribbles, create three or more chances and have three or more shots on target in the same game. He tore Conor Bradley to pieces just five days after the Liverpool full-back had put Vinicius Jr in his back pocket.
"He had an outstanding game against one of the best full-backs in the Premier League," said Guardiola. "Do you think I teach him how to dribble openings? This is natural talent."
Doku's natural talent has always been easily visible, but adapting to City's intricate play has not always been easy for him. The story of his City career in the first two years was one of many flashes of brilliance but little end product and not a whole lot of consistency. This season, though, he looks to have finally cracked the code, and this performance was no anomaly after he helped destroy Manchester United and Burnley earlier in the campaign.