Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed a significant injury setback, revealing that influential winger Jeremy Doku will be sidelined until the new year.
Doku's Injury Timeline and Impact
The Belgian international suffered a leg problem last week, which forced him to miss City's 3-0 Premier League victory at Crystal Palace. Providing an update ahead of Wednesday's League Cup quarter-final against Brentford, Guardiola stated the player faces two to three weeks on the treatment table.
"Jeremy (will be out) two or three weeks. New year at Sunderland maybe," Guardiola said, indicating the earliest possible return would be for the trip to the Stadium of Light on January 1, 2025.
A Crucial Absence in Title Race
This development is a major blow for Guardiola, as the 23-year-old is enjoying his most consistent season since joining from Rennes in 2023. Doku's dynamic play has been instrumental, contributing three goals and five assists this campaign, often providing the creative spark for striker Erling Haaland.
His absence means he will miss several key fixtures in a busy period:
- The League Cup tie against Brentford.
- The Premier League clash with West Ham on December 20.
- The league match against Nottingham Forest on December 27.
With City trailing leaders Arsenal by just two points, losing a player of Doku's calibre during the hectic festive schedule is far from ideal.
Savinho Steps Up as Replacement
In Doku's absence, Brazilian winger Savinho is poised for more minutes. Guardiola praised the player's recent impact off the bench against Palace, particularly his defensive work rate after losing possession.
"He lost one or two balls and in two seconds he was a full-back. I was incredibly pleased," Guardiola explained. "Savinho is going to play a lot of minutes."
With an eye on managing the squad through a congested fixture list, Guardiola confirmed he will rotate his team for the Brentford match, which comes just 72 hours after the Palace win. He hinted that some academy players could feature, emphasizing the need to balance priorities with a thin squad.
"We have some injuries, like John (Stones) and Jeremy. We will see. It's one step to get to the semi-finals," Guardiola added, highlighting the challenge of competing on multiple fronts.
