Difficult for teams to keep up with fully-firing Man City – Doku

Jérémy Doku insists Manchester City are focused solely on maintaining their own high standards rather than monitoring Premier League leaders Arsenal, after a commanding 3-0 victory over Liverpool reignited Pep Guardiola’s side’s title defence.

The Belgian winger played a key role in Sunday’s emphatic win at the Etihad Stadium, which Guardiola described as proof that City are “ready to challenge again” for the Premier League crown. The result closed the gap to four points behind Arsenal, who sit top of the table.

“We’re just looking at ourselves,” Doku said after the match. “We’ve been building and we know we can still improve. The performance against Liverpool made us very happy, but we have to keep improving every game.”

Doku, 23, added that Arsenal’s strong start will mean little if City continue to perform at their current level. “We’re not really looking at Arsenal or what the other teams are doing. It depends only on us. If we are playing well, it’s difficult to stand next to us.”

The former Rennes winger has been one of City’s standout performers this season, contributing three goals—including a superb solo effort against Liverpool—and several assists in all competitions. His direct running and one-on-one ability have added a new dimension to Guardiola’s attacking options.

Doku, who joined City from Rennes in August 2023 in a deal worth around £55 million, said he is less concerned about statistics and more focused on overall contribution. “I don’t really look at goals or assists,” he said. “A bad game for me is if I’m not effective or I lose too many balls, not if I don’t score.”

The win over Liverpool extended City’s unbeaten home run and underlined their intent to reclaim momentum in the title race. Guardiola’s side are seeking a record-breaking fourth consecutive Premier League title, and performances such as Sunday’s suggest they remain firmly in control of their own destiny.