'Mental punch' - How Man City landed blow on Arsenal to fight back

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Manchester City have taken the fight to Arsenal since winning the Carabao Cup and Jeremy Doku speaks of how they worked their way back

Manchester City were on the ropes when they headed to Wembley for the Carabao Cup final last month. Dumped out of the Champions League and having thrown away two big opportunities in the Premier League, Arsenal stood ready to prove they were the new force in English football.

Instead, City fought back. In the time between their home defeat to Real Madrid and travelling down to London, the players reminded themselves of what they were capable of doing and they then all turned up on the day to expose a chink in the Arsenal armour and win the first silverware of the season.

Shoulders were shrugged publicly at the Emirates, with disappointment overtaken by a new drive for the bigger trophies that they remained in the driving seat for. But whatever the significance of the defeat for the Gunners, it revitalised a City camp that had been close to throwing in the towel.

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"We stood our ground and from then we were just hungry for the other trophies. We still knew that we were still in the race for the title. And we also knew that the Carabao Cup, it's also a nice trophy and if we win that game, it's going to be a punch towards Arsenal mentally, and that's what we just started to do," said Doku. "So we were just looking forwards.

"Obviously one game a week that changes also a lot. You have more time to prepare, more time to work on things, on your weaknesses and all your strengths. And we just have a pattern now that seems to work as well. We're in a good flow. We are confident and we’re hungry. We know there's still a lot to play for and I think that's what drives us."

City beat Arsenal again in a titanic Premier League clash on Sunday and backed that up with three points at Burnley to take them top of the Premier League for the first time since August. But they are also intent on winning the FA Cup again after two successive defeats in the final.

Doku is one of the players who has never lifted that trophy, and sees the weekend semi-final against Southampton as a chance to move closer to that goal. It was always going to be difficult for the club to continue their success as the team that won the Treble in 2023 reached the end of their cycle, yet the Belgian winger is part of a new group whose ambition remains laced with silver.

"I'm grateful for what I have for what I have won already. But I know obviously that those two times where I lost, I wanted to win those games. So now being in the semi-final, I want to go back to the final and win that trophy," he said. "Because I won a Carabao Cup, I won the Premier League so I want to win the FA Cup as well.

"Winning a trophy, even if we won those finals I would be motivated. I want to win the trophy. Like I'm motivated right now to win the Prem. Although I won already a Premier League, I'm still motivated because you always want to win.

"You always want to win. It's never enough."