One Man City player is offering something new and exciting - 'genius'

Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku came inside against Bournemouth to offer something new for player and team

Erling Haaland was the Manchester City hero again in the 3-1 win over Bournemouth, and Rayan Cherki provided fresh inspiration. Two assists for the big man showed what the summer signing can do and built on the promise he showed in the League Cup win over Swansea in midweek.

Scratch a little below the headlines and the work done by Nico Gonzalez and Phil Foden in the midfield was crucial. Both had a hand in City's goals and their effort and intelligence was critical to City winning.

Go further down and Jeremy Doku's performance was certainly interesting. Attention may have been on the more obvious protagonists (some may even have stupidly only given Doku a 6/10 on first watch) but the Belgian was excellent at creating chances in a new role through the middle.

Doku has been predominantly used on the left during his two-and-a-bit years at City, and it is where his best performances have come this season during his best form for the club. Against Bournemouth though, he moved inside alongside Cherki and Foden to flood the centre and force Andoni Iraola's side into uncomfortable situations.

While he didn't have a hand in any goals, Doku perhaps should have done. He slipped Haaland through for his hat-trick chance towards the end of his first half, played Nico O'Reilly through just after the second goal when he nearly found Foden for a tap-in and was also involved in other promising attacks.

It was a new role for Doku, and one he thrived in. It also helped the team, as when he moved inside it allowed O'Reilly to gallop down the left.

"I'm a genius. Tactics, my friend," Guardiola said after the game. "I don't know. Today I gave the freedom to go outside or inside.

"I said, 'Jeremy, you can go inside when you feel it, go outside when you feel it. When you go outside, Nico or Phil can play'.

"That was a little bit today but at the end it's not about the tactics. When you have the ball, you keep the ball and try to play. That is really good."

Doku's role against Bournemouth offers another option, both for the player and the team, as they look to surprise more people this season.

Sunday's win takes them up to second in the league, and while Arsenal are currently setting a fast pace at the top of the league it certainly looks dangerous to rule serial champions Guardiola and City out of anything right now.

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