Manchester City could have Jeremy Doku back in contention when Sunderland visit the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, with head coach Enzo Maresca giving the clearest signal yet that the Belgian winger’s long injury lay-off is nearing its end.
Doku has not featured for City since limping out of the Community Shield defeat by Arsenal in August with a calf problem, a setback that has cost him City’s opening four Premier League fixtures of the season.
He was left out again on Thursday as City thrashed Norwich City 5-0 in the Carabao Cup, but Maresca suggested that absence was precautionary rather than a sign of a fresh setback.
Fitness boost for City ahead of Black Cats visit
Speaking to reporters, Maresca offered an upbeat assessment of the winger’s condition, saying: “He can probably be available for the Sunderland game.”
Should Doku return to the matchday squad, he would provide Maresca with a valuable attacking alternative at a time when the City boss is already missing Phil Foden, who serves the second match of his suspension following a red card picked up in the recent Manchester derby.
Maresca made ten changes to his starting eleven for the Norwich tie, resting several key players who had featured in back-to-back matches against Porto in the Champions League and away at Manchester United.
The rotation was, in the head coach’s words, about protecting his squad ahead of a demanding week, explaining that it was important those players were given a break so they could be refreshed for what he expects to be a difficult afternoon against Sunderland.
Maresca braces for tricky test against well-organised Black Cats
Despite City’s perfect start to the season — six wins from six matches in all competitions — Maresca was in no mood to underestimate Sunderland, who returned to the Premier League this year under Régis Le Bris and have collected six points from their first four top-flight outings.
The Italian revealed he had rewatched Sunderland’s recent 2-0 defeat by Arsenal in detail, and came away convinced that the scoreline flattered City’s title rivals rather than reflected the balance of play.
He described Sunderland as extremely well drilled by their manager and evidently settled after time working together, adding that it was clear what they were trying to achieve both with and without the ball.
Maresca went on to say that, having studied them closely, he believed Sunday would represent City’s toughest examination since the campaign began — a striking admission given the calibre of opposition City have already faced this term, including Manchester United and Porto.
That note of caution will not have gone unnoticed among City supporters, who have grown used to Maresca setting a demanding tone in his post-match and pre-match media duties since replacing Pep Guardiola in the dugout this summer.
The head coach has repeatedly stressed squad freshness and rotation as central to his methods, and Thursday’s changes against Norwich — which still produced a comfortable five-goal victory — appeared to vindicate that approach.
Sunderland, for their part, arrive at the Etihad with growing confidence under Le Bris despite their narrow defeat by Arsenal, and Maresca’s remarks suggest City are taking nothing for granted against a side he clearly rates as one of the division’s more cohesive units this season.
