Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says the club have found another supreme young talent in 21-year-old Belgium wide-man Jeremy Doku.
The £55.4m summer signing from Rennes scored the opener and added four assists as City cruised to a 6-1 Premier League success against Bournemouth.
Doku is noted for his direct running but his contribution to second-half goals for Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva were superb – the first involving a delicate pass to set the England man up, the second a sweeping cross-field pass that created the opening for a delicate chipped finish Guardiola likened to Lionel Messi.
“He creates something for the crowd,” said Guardiola. “When he takes the ball everyone gets excited – me too.”
Doku’s opener came after he feigned to shoot from the edge of the area but instead played a precise one-two with Rodri before delivering a shot to the corner.
He beat the close attentions of the Bournemouth defence before cutting the ball back from the by-line to create City’s second for Bernardo on a day when striker Erling Haaland only lasted 45 minutes after suffering a twisted ankle that makes him a doubt for Tuesday’s Champions League encounter with Swiss side Young Boys.
It was a terrific performance from someone who needed a bit of cajoling from his manager to deliver the kind of skills that brought him to City’s attention in the first place.
“The first game I saw him in was on TV against Fulham when I was recovering with my back,” he said. “He was so shy.
“We talked about that. I asked him why he was here, why Manchester City had decided to invest in him. For his skills. What are his skills? Dribbling, be aggressive. Had he done it all his life? Do it [here].
“It is difficult to find a player today with the ability to dribble in small spaces. He’s one of the fastest players in 5m. It’s incredible how he can change the rhythm in 5m.”
Guardiola plays down Haaland injury concern
In beating Bournemouth, City extended their record of winning every home game they have played in all competitions in 2023 to 22. They are now on a run of 14 successive victories against Bournemouth. Their 13 straight league wins against the Cherries is a Premier League record.
And, as Guardiola pointed out, they achieved their biggest win of the season without any significant contribution from Haaland, who evidently felt pain in his ankle just before the break and flexed his leg a couple of times as he spoke to Julian Alvarez on his way to the dressing room.
At Borussia Dortmund, Haaland had injury issues which led to three absences of around a month. Since he came to the Premier League, the most he has sat out is a couple of matches.
However, Guardiola didn’t seem too concerned about the Norwegian, who has scored 65 times in 69 games for City.
“It was a twist with the ankle,” he said.
“I didn’t speak with the doctors. We will see in the next days… but hopefully,” added Guardiola in relation to the Young Boys game.
Scott’s Bournemouth injury fear
Bournemouth suffered another significant blow in addition to damage to their goal difference on a day when even limited pre-match expectations proved beyond them.
Young midfielder Alex Scott only made his debut a fortnight ago after arriving from Bristol City in the summer with an injury.
The 20-year-old, nicknamed the Guernsey Grealish after an impressive performance for his old club in this same stadium last season, appeared to be running off a dead leg when he was confronted by Rodri in the City box.
The block tackle that resulted left Scott on the floor and in obvious pain. There was no chance of him continuing and as the £25m man was helped to the dressing room, Iraola had a consoling word.
“It is the other knee, something inside it,” said Iraola.
“He says it doesn’t feel it is bad but until he has been seen by the doctors we cannot say.”
Player of the match
DokuJérémy Doku
AFC Bournemouth
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Squad number10Player nameChristie
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Squad number14Player nameScott
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Squad number9Player nameSolanke
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Squad number29Player nameBilling
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Squad number3Player nameKerkez
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Squad number5Player nameKelly
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Squad number6Player nameMepham
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Squad number16Player nameTavernier
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Squad number25Player nameSenesi
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Squad number37Player nameAarons
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Squad number20Player nameRadu
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Squad number17Player nameSinisterra
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Squad number27Player nameZabarnyi
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Squad number24Player nameSemenyo
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Squad number8Player nameRothwell
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Squad number19Player nameKluivert
Line-ups
Man City
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 31Ederson
- 25Akanji
- 5StonesSubstituted forLewisat 71′minutes
- 6Aké
- 2Walker
- 16RodriSubstituted forPhillipsat 71′minutes
- 8Kovacic
- 11Doku
- 20Bernardo SilvaSubstituted forBobbat 85′minutes
- 19ÁlvarezSubstituted forNunesat 71′minutes
- 9HaalandSubstituted forFodenat 45′minutes
Substitutes
- 3Rúben Dias
- 4Phillips
- 10Grealish
- 18Ortega
- 24Gvardiol
- 27Nunes
- 47Foden
- 52Bobb
- 82Lewis
Bournemouth
Formation 5-4-1
- 20Radu
- 37Aarons
- 6MephamSubstituted forSenesiat 45′minutes
- 27Zabarnyi
- 5Kelly
- 3Kerkez
- 10Christie
- 14ScottSubstituted forRothwellat 44′minutes
- 29BillingBooked at 32minsSubstituted forSemenyoat 71′minutes
- 16TavernierSubstituted forSinisterraat 72′minutes
- 9SolankeSubstituted forKluivertat 85′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Brooks
- 8Rothwell
- 11Ouattara
- 15A Smith
- 17Sinisterra
- 19Kluivert
- 24Semenyo
- 25Senesi
- 42Travers
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 53,358
Live Text
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Match ends, Manchester City 6, Bournemouth 1.
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Second Half ends, Manchester City 6, Bournemouth 1.
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Attempt saved. Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Oscar Bobb with a through ball.
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Foul by Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City).
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Ryan Christie (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Goal! Manchester City 6, Bournemouth 1. Nathan Aké (Manchester City) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Oscar Bobb with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Marcos Senesi.
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Manuel Akanji (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth).
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Foul by Matheus Nunes (Manchester City).
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Lloyd Kelly (Bournemouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Manchester City. Oscar Bobb replaces Bernardo Silva.
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Substitution, Bournemouth. Justin Kluivert replaces Dominic Solanke.
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Goal! Manchester City 5, Bournemouth 1. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jérémy Doku.
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Attempt missed. Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Joe Rothwell with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Bournemouth. Conceded by Nathan Aké.
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Rico Lewis (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Marcos Senesi (Bournemouth).
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Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Luis Sinisterra (Bournemouth).
Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.