'Horrible to defend against Jeremy Doku!' - Man City forward hailed as a 'great star' after destroying Liverpool in Anfield masterclass
City cruise to Anfield victory
City maintained their perfect start to the Premier League season with an emphatic 3-0 victory against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. The match remained tightly balanced for nearly an hour before the visitors took complete control of the contest.
Enzo Maresca saw his side struggle to break the deadlock during a tense first half on Merseyside. However, a crucial tactical substitution completely altered the momentum of the game.
Doku was the catalyst for the ultimate triumph, replacing Iliman Ndiaye in the 56th minute. The Belgian winger instantly terrorised the Liverpool defence and ensured his side left with all three points.
Doku sparks second half chaos
Doku wasted no time making his mark on the left flank against a struggling Ronald Araujo. His direct running immediately put Liverpool on the back foot, culminating in a defining moment just six minutes after his introduction.
The winger launched a blistering counter-attack that forced Ryan Gravenberch into a cynical foul. The Dutch midfielder received his second yellow card and was subsequently dismissed, leaving his team a man down.
"Maresca's words when I came on? He just told me what position I was going to play," Doku explained to the press. "When you're on the bench, you look for a way to influence the game, and that's what I did."
Alderweireld praises unpredictable Belgian winger
With a numerical advantage, Doku ruthlessly dismantled the remaining Liverpool structure. His deflected strike off Alexis Mac Allister allowed Erling Haaland to open the scoring, before the Belgian doubled the lead himself with a magnificent curling effort.
To cap off a remarkable cameo, the 24-year-old also initiated the move that led to Rayan Cherki netting the third goal. It marked a brilliant return to form for Doku following a frustrating calf injury earlier this season. Former Belgian star Toby Alderweireld was quick to praise his compatriot's incredible impact.
Speaking on Match of the Day, he said: "In a defender's point of view, it's horrible to defend against him because he can go outside, inside, he comes dribbling at you and sometimes he stops and you think, OK. And then his acceleration is unbelievable and he's a strong guy as well.
"And the only questions before was like, can he give the assist? Can he get that goal that he needs to deliver? But like today, yeah, when he shoots like this, it's unbelievable. Yeah, a big star."
Building on a perfect start
This dominant performance at Anfield provides City with massive momentum as they push forward in their Premier League campaign. Maresca will be delighted to have a fully fit and firing winger back at his disposal for the upcoming fixtures. For Liverpool, they must quickly regroup and address their defensive vulnerabilities after a painful home collapse.
