Jeremy Doku celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Brentford with a stunning strike
DARREN STAPLES/Getty Images
Less than a month ago, Jeremy Doku acknowledged that increasing his goal tally could elevate him into discussions about the world’s best wingers. “Maybe,” he said.
On Saturday, he added another long-range effort to the top corner, marking his third goal in five days after netting twice in Monday’s 3-3 draw at Everton. His stoppage-time equalizer against the Toffees could prove crucial for Manchester City’s title hopes—or irrelevant if Arsenal continues winning.
With an hour played against Brentford, Pep Guardiola sensed his team needed more energy after a sluggish performance. He introduced Phil Foden and Omar Marmoush to provide a spark, even at the risk of weakening the midfield. City knew further dropped points would end their championship aspirations.
Doku scored on the very next play, delivering another goal-of-the-month candidate.
“Everybody knows that he’s made an incredible step in the sense of saying, ‘I am Jeremy Doku, I am going to win games!'” Guardiola said post-match. “And the big players, the greatest players, always have that mentality.”
When Doku previously mentioned adding goals to his game, he referred to simpler finishes.
“Key passes and assists, I feel like that area is all right,” he told reporters before the FA Cup semi-final win over Southampton. “I have to be more in the areas where you can score easy goals, you know, tap-ins and stuff like that.”
“Sometimes in the game, you get, not distracted, but you don’t realise sometimes what you’re doing and you don’t realise that you’re not in that position where you should be to just score the easy goals.”
“When I look at all my goals even this season, every time dribbles, every time when I do it myself, and I just want to score also, I don’t know, even five tap-ins the season.”
During the Everton match, Antoine Semenyo sent a ball across the box from the right wing, but no one was there to tap it in. Doku was far away on the edge of the box. Shortly after, he fired into the top corner with his left foot, making the missed opportunity irrelevant.
After Saturday’s 3-0 victory, Doku revisited the theme, noting how many tap-ins Raheem Sterling scored for City. Those were considered easy goals, yet no City winger has come close to replicating them since Sterling left four years ago.
“When I look at my goals, it’s all top goals, don’t get me wrong, but I want to score those goals where I just tap-in, second post, run in and tap-in, and it just adds more goals to my account,” he told Sky Sports. “That’s the thing I need to work on.”
Just a week ago, Doku had two Premier League goals from 25 appearances. His contributions this week have been eye-catching, but he must improve that aspect of his game.
Jeremy Doku curls the ball into the net for the opening goal (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
The rest of his game has developed significantly this season, though his role resembles his early days at the club in 2023.
Back then, with City packing several attack-minded players into their previously control-heavy system, Doku became the main attacking outlet. Kyle Walker stationed high and wide on the right wing was largely ignored, so the ball repeatedly went to the left wing, where Doku thrived.
