Man City 3-0 Liverpool: Match Review
Jeremey Doku was named man of the match as Liverpool suffered a 3-0 loss against Man City in the Premier League.
He proved to be the chief tormentor who delivered Liverpool their latest Premier League title blow.
The man-of-the-match award hardly needed announcing at the Etihad Stadium. Everyone already knew who deserved the honour. He was sitting on the Manchester City bench, having already received one standing ovation when substituted in the 74th minute and got another.
Eleven minutes earlier, Jeremy Doku had curled home a superb goal to put City three goals ahead against the modern-day rivals. The winger had wreaked havoc throughout the encounter before deservedly wrapping up the triumph for Pep Guardiola’s side. It moved City within four points of leaders Arsenal - and left champions Liverpool already eight points adrift as their defence looks to be over by November.
The Reds were second-best in all departments against City. They simply could not handle Doku throughout the encounter. Conor Bradley had superbly shackled Vinicius Jr in Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Real Madrid five days earlier but had a tough evening against Doku. In fairness, Bradley matched the Belgium international at times, but it was the City man who came out on top.
Liverpool previous interest
And as the Anfield hierarchy watched on, they would have been reminded how Doku might well have been a Liverpool player. The Reds were keen to sign the 23-year-old before he even made a senior appearance. The Telegraph reports that Liverpool made a ‘massive sales pitch’ to sign Doku when he was only aged 15. It involved a tour of the club’s training ground and meetings with former manager Jurgen Klopp, club legend Steven Gerrard and players Mo Salah and Sadio Mane. The Reds reportedly the offer of a house and car for his family and even a job for his father.
But Doku, who was coming through the ranks at Anderlecht, despite against a move to Merseyside. That’s despite people in his area of Antwerp recommending him to join Liverpool.
Doku told Sport/Foot in 2022:“If I’d accepted their offer, I may have been in the first team by now, but maybe not. What I know is that I’m now playing with Anderlecht. People from my block told me to go, they told me I might not have another opportunity. I see things differently. If Liverpool want me at 15 and I confirm with the pros, Liverpool will come back later.
“There were other interested clubs. We also visited Arsenal and Ajax. My parents were encouraging me to go. It was my decision to stay. I wasn’t ready. I wanted to continue enjoying myself, to play with my friends”.
In fairness, Liverpool have not exactly regretted missing out on Doku until Sunday’s loss. Since signing for Manchester City for £55 million from Rennes in 2023, he has not been a prolific goalscorer or assist maker. His goal against the Reds was his first in the Premier League since January.
Liverpool’s left side struggles
Last season, Arne Slot’s side were hardly desperate for a left-winger as they had two potent options in Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo to help fire Liverpool to the Premier League title. Diaz’s departure to Bayern Munich has been a bigger blow than some might have imagined. The Colombia international has made a magnificent opening at the German giants, while Florian Wirtz, effectively his replacement, has endured a slow start after a £100 million arrival. Gakpo, meanwhile, has been too predictable and spurned a golden chance to reduce the deficit against City.
Had Liverpool been successful in signing Doku eight years ago and nurtured him along, he could well have been Diaz’s ready-made successor.
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