Manchester City will quickly start the process of looking to the future and how their 2025/26 team will look - one player should be part of it.
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Jeremy Doku of Manchester City runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Sasa Lukic of Fulham
Jeremy Doku in action for Manchester City against Fulham
The only time Jeremy Doku found a Blue shirt from out wide in the first half at Fulham, Omar Marmoush had a shot blocked.
Doku attempted three crosses in a dominant opening spell, each one failing to meet a teammate. When he opted to cut back instead, Marmoush and Erling Haaland had gone towards goal for a cross. It wasn't a huge issue given Matheus Nunes, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan were relatively prolific in getting balls into the box - but it still must be frustrating for Pep Guardiola.
Doku has had another decent season for Manchester City and deserved his final day recall to the starting line up. Guardiola has switched between Doku and Savinho when he's opted for only one winger, while both have done enough to condemn Jack Grealish to a likely exit this summer. Grealish wasn't involved at Fulham and wasn't missed - he wouldn't have played much of a role even if he was in the squad.
Yet Doku may feel that he had an opportunity to cement a place ahead of the Club World Cup - this effectively being a warm-up for that tournament. Fulham were terrified whenever City spread the ball out to him and he had the beating of Kenny Tete. Then he didn't follow it up with the cross.
It has been the story of Doku's two years at City. Another 2023 arrival in Nunes was impressive as a rampaging right-back and was integral in the move that resulted in Gundogan's opener. Nunes' future at City isn't assured despite performing admirably in a new position this season and ending it strongly. His winner against Wolves has proved pivotal.
Doku has lacked any of those major moments even if he has mostly been good. If he can add a consistent end product to his box of tricks he will be undroppable.
Guardiola wants to trim down his squad so players like Grealish feel under threat. Doku doesn't, and there is a place in Guardiola's go-to attack if he can take it. The good news is it feels the area of his game that lets him down is coachable.
Getting balls to Haaland is the main objective for a City winger these days - while mixing it up and knowing the right time to find the late run from midfield or have a shot himself.
His zero accurate crosses doesn't read well, but the eye-test for Guardiola is that he was a constant threat and kept the pressure on the defence constantly. His decision-making with when to pass back and keep the ball is improving, too.
City will prioritise a central player to replace Kevin De Bruyne this summer, with full-backs and perhaps a goalkeeper needed depending on departures.
Even if Grealish does go before City's next Premier League game, there was enough evidence to suggest there is no need to focus on another winger to replace him.
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