Jeremy Doku hasn't played a part in Enzo Maresca's fantastic run to start his time as the manager of Manchester City. The left-winger injured his calf in the rather meaningless Community Shield victory against Arsenal in the middle of August, and hasn't been available since. That appears to be on the cusp of changing.
Speaking with the media ahead of Sunday's showdown against Sunderland, Maresca said Doku would "probably" be available. That, of course, doesn't mean he will, and there is no real reason to rush Doku back to a full 90 minutes, but getting him some work before the international break would be a great sign for his full return in October.
Man City knows they will be missing Phil Foden, since he is in the middle of serving a three-game ban for receiving a red card against Manchester United last weekend. Foden and Doku weren't needed in Thursday's Carabao Cup match against the overwhelmed Norwich City, but Doku's return against Sunderland would give the squad another reason for optimism.
Jeremy Doku might make his Manchester City return versus Sunderland
The team should be fairly rested for Sunday's match, too. Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, and others sat out the game while the teenagers ran roughshod over poor Norwich. The same situation is unlikely to unfold against a Premier League squad like Sunderland.
Under Maresca, City has won all six of its competitions to begin the season, including four EPL victories and one win in the Champions League. The team is scoring at a crisp pace, but just imagine how much better they would be with Doku on one side, Semenyo on the other, and Haaland in the middle. They might be unstoppable, especially with improved performance from the back line.
Jeremy Doku's injury history with Man City
Doku does have a fairly lengthy injury history, so even when he returns from his calf issue, he might struggle to stay available. Last season, he missed 10 games due to two different injuries. The season before, he missed five Manchester City matches with an unspecified injury.
In total, since Jeremy Doku came to City in 2023/24, he has missed 30 matches. He is a fantastic player, of course, especially when playing with other high-quality forwards. City could and likely should defeat Sunderland even without Doku, but his presence gives the blues another advantage that Sunderland simply cannot match.
Sunday's match will take place at Etihad Stadium in Manchester (of course!). The match is set to begin at 2 pm BST.
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