James Milner’s mind is most likely still whirling.
This devoted supporter of English soccer needed no more than to be forced to play right back out of position and face Jeremy Doku at the age of 37 and toward the end of his career.
In the Premier League meeting last weekend, Doku, Manchester City’s sensational offseason acquisition, twisted Milner in several directions, assisting on a goal after just seven minutes, creating multiple more opportunities, and making the Brighton veteran so uncomfortable that he was replaced at halftime.
Milner may not be the only person to experience such a fate.
Doku, a 21-year-old Belgian winger, is a sparkplug who adds havoc to a City team that Pep Guardiola would normally prefer to play a controlled style.
According to soccer statistics website FBref, he ranks fourth among all Premier League players for carries at least 10 yards (meters), sixth for most successful dribbles, and third among all players for carries into the penalty area. In addition, he has only appeared in six of City’s nine league games, one of which was as a replacement and the other of which he played for just 51 minutes before being substituted due to a red card.
This weekend’s major question is whether Guardiola would start Doku in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford, a game in which he usually emphasizes the importance of discipline and tactical dominance.
Guardiola’s choice will reveal a lot about how highly he regards his latest acquisition.
Very are the early indicators.
“I’m beginning to understand when to go and when not to go in the heat of the moment,” Doku said following his strongest performance since nearly replacing the late Riyad Mahrez for City with a $70 million move from Rennes in late August.
And given that he is surrounded by so many elite players, including Phil Foden, Julian Alvarez, and Erling Haaland, it is understandable that a rough diamond like Doku would flourish under Guardiola.
Though Jack Grealish may be added to that list, Doku’s arrival has put the England international’s spot on the left wing most in jeopardy. This is true even though the two played on the same squad on Wednesday when City defeated Young Boys 3-1 in the Champions League.
When Grealish was the star player at his last team, Aston Villa, he used to be like Doku, a free spirit who would wander, dribble, and be straightforward.
Guardiola has made him more of a system player at City, allowing him to keep his left-wing width and exert control over the squad with his work ethic and technique while others—mostly Haaland and the injured Kevin De Bruyne—provide the cutting edge.
City will have a formidable opponent if Doku contributes part of that.
However, Doku was benched for City’s most important match of the season so far—a 1-0 loss to Arsenal on October 8—and didn’t play until halfway through the second half.
Guardiola might decide to start Bernardo Silva in the derby and keep Grealish in place of Doku in an effort to reduce turnovers, which would make United much more dangerous on the counterattack given the speed of Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund up front.
Rodri’s return to the center of midfield has been crucial for City. The Premier League and Champions League saw City win seven straight games before he was suspended for grabbing a Nottingham Forest player by the neck. City dropped all three of its contests while he was on suspension.
That emphasized how crucial Rodri is to the group and how difficult it is for City to change its style of play without him. Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes, summer additions similar to Doku, are strongest when it comes to carrying the ball rather than always playing as midfield anchors. Guardiola also remains unconvinced of Kalvin Phillips’ ability to play holding midfield.
With Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat joining United during the summer transfer window and Casemiro having had a difficult start to the season, the midfield fight could prove to be crucial on Sunday. If United needs extra energy, Scott McTominay—whose knack for scoring goals makes up for his lack of technical skill—might be chosen once more.
Erik ten Hag’s team may be hiding some structural problems because United has been relying on big moments to win lately. Examples of these moments include McTominay’s late double against Brentford, Diogo Dalot’s edge-of-the-area winner against Sheffield United, and Andre Onana’s last-second penalty save against FC Copenhagen.
If defeating its noisy neighbor on the weekend means taking another one, they’ll take it.