Manchester City has received advice regarding the playing styles of their summer acquisitions, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku. The 21-year-old Belgian, Doku, played a key role in City’s 2-1 victory over Brighton, securing an assist and proving his worth. In this particular match, Pep Guardiola opted to start Doku while Grealish was on the bench. Grealish, who was acquired for a substantial £55.5 million fee, has been adapting to life at the treble-winning club.
Doku’s performance was remarkable as he set up Julian Alvarez for the opening goal within seven minutes of the game. Erling Haaland, the Norwegian striker, extended City’s lead to 2-0, making them appear comfortable. However, Barcelona loanee Ansu Fati managed to pull one back for Brighton.
Former City striker Paul Dickov provided commentary during the match, expressing his admiration for Doku’s performance and contrasting it with Grealish’s style. According to Dickov, Grealish excels at “slowing the game down,” a skill that can be valuable under pressure, whereas Doku brings a different, more dynamic element to the team. Dickov was particularly impressed with Doku’s quick adaptation to the squad, considering his youth and relative inexperience.
He mentioned that many new signings often come from playing at the highest level in their respective countries, but Doku’s seamless transition stood out. Dickov also pointed out Doku’s occasional naivety in his play, noting that Guardiola would likely work on refining his decision-making. Moreover, Doku’s style of play, while exciting and threatening, can sometimes involve taking on defenders more often than necessary, which is where Grealish’s ability to slow the game down comes into play.
Jeremy Doku’s journey to Manchester City includes his development at Anderlecht, where he made 37 appearances for his hometown club. In 2020, he made a move to France for €26 million, and this summer, City made a significant investment in him, paying more than double that amount for the promising forward.
