ShareManchester City are still in the Premier League title race largely because of the recent performances of their Belgian winger.By Graham RuthvenThere is no more terrifying prospect in football right now than Jérémy Doku in a one-on-one situation. Many Premier League defenders have been confronted by this nightmare-inducing scenario in recent weeks and few have avoided complete and utter humiliation at the hands of one of world football’s most prolific dribblers.Doku has always been a dribbler. That’s his thing. Nobody is averaging more successful dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, nor did anyone get the better of the Manchester City winger for this metric last season or the season before that. With the ball at his feet, he has always been a menace.Most successful dribblers in the Premier League this seasonRecently, though, Doku has added final product to his play. He has registered four goals and two assists in his last five games with City still in the title race only thanks to the brilliance of the 23-year-old who is fulfilling the potential he showed earlier in his career. In this form, Doku is among the best wingers in the world.“We are really pleased. Now he is winning games. But he has always been really, really good,” said Pep Guardiola when asked about the recent performances of Doku and his improvement over the course of the season for Manchester City. “It depends on your mentality.“I want to become one of the best wingers in the world. Otherwise, you’re in a comfort zone and you say, ‘No, it’s fine, it’s fine.’ Always I’ve been, Jérémy, dribbles and whatever. I always try. But I say, no, I want to become one of the best of the best. That is when you reach that level.”As a team, Manchester City have evolved from the start of the season to this point. Last summer, Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, İlkay Gündoğan and Kyle Walker all departed the club as part of a rebuild that saw the likes of Rayan Cherki, Ginaluigi Donnarumma and Tijani Reijnders arrive as new additions.This rebuild continued in January with the arrival of Marc Guéhi and Antoine Semenyo, both of whom quickly became first team figures. Guardiola experimented with a number of different formations and attacking approaches, only settling on a consistent lineup in the second half of the season.Doku’s last four games prior to the midweek game vs. Crystal PalaceIt wasn’t so long ago that Doku appeared to be at risk of being squeezed out at the Etihad Stadium. The Belgian failed to progress and develop his game after joining City from Rennes in 2023, prompting many to suggest Guardiola needed a more reliable player in the wide areas. Doku wasn’t cutting it.Of late, though, Doku has grown into a role as a consistent difference-maker and the driving force behind City’s title challenge. Guardiola has emboldened the Belgian international as City’s starting left winger, tailoring his attacking approach to get the best out of the most prolific dribbler in the Premier League. Doku’s possession numbers in the Premier League this seasonThat Nico O’Reilly is now Manchester City’s first-choice left back has helped Doku find his role in the team. O’Reilly is unique in the way he likes to make forward runs into the centre of the pitch, drawing defenders away from Doku who frequently takes up a wide position to isolate opponents.When O’Reilly moves out to the wing, Doku has the freedom to come inside. This has added to the natural rotations Manchester City have in the final third of the pitch with Cherki and Bernardo Silva also a part of the title-chasers’ fluidity that has built up over the course of the 2025/26 campaign.Even if City end up losing out to Arsenal in this season’s Premier League title race, Guardiola has guided his side through an important and necessary transition over the last 12 to 18 months. Doku is part of Manchester City’s next generation which will surely win plenty of titles and trophies in the years to come and could still finish this season with a domestic double.This summer will see City continue their rebuild. Elliot Anderson has been strongly linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium from Nottingham Forest with central midfield a particular focus. Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali is also believed to be a long-term target for Manchester City.While Matheus Nunes has grown into the right back role over the last two seasons, City could use a natural full back in that position. Tino Livramento, Feyenoord’s Givairo Read and Sporting CP’s Iván Fresneda have all been mentioned as potential targets for the Etihad Stadium club this summer.On the wings, though, City are well-stocked. Between Doku, Semenyo and Savinho, Guardiola has a collection of wide difference-makers capable of deciding the outcome of a match in an instant. This is certainly true of Doku who still hasn’t reached the ceiling of his ability. He can get even better.(Images from IMAGO)You can follow every Manchester City game on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.Manchester City are still in the Premier League title race largely because of the recent performances of their Belgian winger.By Graham RuthvenThere is no more terrifying prospect in football right now than Jérémy Doku in a one-on-one situation. Many Premier League defenders have been confronted by this nightmare-inducing scenario in recent weeks and few have avoided complete and utter humiliation at the hands of one of world football’s most prolific dribblers.Doku has always been a dribbler. That’s his thing. Nobody is averaging more successful dribbles per 90 minutes in the Premier League this season, nor did anyone get the better of the Manchester City winger for this metric last season or the season before that. With the ball at his feet, he has always been a menace.Most successful dribblers in the Premier League this seasonRecently, though, Doku has added final product to his play. He has registered four goals and two assists in his last five games with City still in the title race only thanks to the brilliance of the 23-year-old who is fulfilling the potential he showed earlier in his career. In this form, Doku is among the best wingers in the world.“We are really pleased. Now he is winning games. But he has always been really, really good,” said Pep Guardiola when asked about the recent performances of Doku and his improvement over the course of the season for Manchester City. “It depends on your mentality.“I want to become one of the best wingers in the world. Otherwise, you’re in a comfort zone and you say, ‘No, it’s fine, it’s fine.’ Always I’ve been, Jérémy, dribbles and whatever. I always try. But I say, no, I want to become one of the best of the best. That is when you reach that level.”As a team, Manchester City have evolved from the start of the season to this point. Last summer, Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, İlkay Gündoğan and Kyle Walker all departed the club as part of a rebuild that saw the likes of Rayan Cherki, Ginaluigi Donnarumma and Tijani Reijnders arrive as new additions.This rebuild continued in January with the arrival of Marc Guéhi and Antoine Semenyo, both of whom quickly became first team figures. Guardiola experimented with a number of different formations and attacking approaches, only settling on a consistent lineup in the second half of the season.Doku’s last four games prior to the midweek game vs. Crystal PalaceIt wasn’t so long ago that Doku appeared to be at risk of being squeezed out at the Etihad Stadium. The Belgian failed to progress and develop his game after joining City from Rennes in 2023, prompting many to suggest Guardiola needed a more reliable player in the wide areas. Doku wasn’t cutting it.Of late, though, Doku has grown into a role as a consistent difference-maker and the driving force behind City’s title challenge. Guardiola has emboldened the Belgian international as City’s starting left winger, tailoring his attacking approach to get the best out of the most prolific dribbler in the Premier League. Doku’s possession numbers in the Premier League this seasonThat Nico O’Reilly is now Manchester City’s first-choice left back has helped Doku find his role in the team. O’Reilly is unique in the way he likes to make forward runs into the centre of the pitch, drawing defenders away from Doku who frequently takes up a wide position to isolate opponents.When O’Reilly moves out to the wing, Doku has the freedom to come inside. This has added to the natural rotations Manchester City have in the final third of the pitch with Cherki and Bernardo Silva also a part of the title-chasers’ fluidity that has built up over the course of the 2025/26 campaign.Even if City end up losing out to Arsenal in this season’s Premier League title race, Guardiola has guided his side through an important and necessary transition over the last 12 to 18 months. Doku is part of Manchester City’s next generation which will surely win plenty of titles and trophies in the years to come and could still finish this season with a domestic double.This summer will see City continue their rebuild. Elliot Anderson has been strongly linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium from Nottingham Forest with central midfield a particular focus. Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali is also believed to be a long-term target for Manchester City.While Matheus Nunes has grown into the right back role over the last two seasons, City could use a natural full back in that position. Tino Livramento, Feyenoord’s Givairo Read and Sporting CP’s Iván Fresneda have all been mentioned as potential targets for the Etihad Stadium club this summer.On the wings, though, City are well-stocked. Between Doku, Semenyo and Savinho, Guardiola has a collection of wide difference-makers capable of deciding the outcome of a match in an instant. This is certainly true of Doku who still hasn’t reached the ceiling of his ability. He can get even better.(Images from IMAGO)You can follow every Manchester City game on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.