"Oh my days", "Y'all don't want to win" - Manchester City fans vent frustrations with Pep Guardiola deciding not to start star against Arsenal
Manchester City fans have questioned Pep Guardiola's decision not to start Jeremy Doku in the side's huge Premier League clash with Arsenal today (October 8).
Doku has made a fantastic start to life at the Etihad since arriving from Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais in the summer for £55.5 million. The Belgian winger has bagged three goals and one assist in nine games across competitions.
The 21-year-old was particularly impressive in a 3-1 win against West Ham United in September. Guardiola spoke after that win and admitted he was surprised by Doku's immediate impact at the club (via The Independent):
"When you buy a young player like him for many years (contract), we have to be patient. We cannot expect, I didn’t expect the second game for City to play like he did today. The way he played today, I don’t remember from a long time ago something like that."
Doku came off the bench midweek to score in Manchester City's 3-1 win against RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League. However, his excellent performances haven't earned him a spot in Guardiola's starting lineup against Arsenal.
Ederson starts in goal, with Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, and Josko Gvardiol in defense. Meanwhile, Rico Lewis and Mateo Kovacic are in the middle of the park with Julian Alvarez sitting behind Erling Haaland in attack. Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden will provide depth on the wing.
It's a massive clash for Manchester City against an Arsenal side who challenged them for the title last season. However, some fans aren't happy that Doku isn't starting with X (formerly Twitter) user @ftblyousef_ saying:
"No Doku? Oh my days."
Another fan (@Jmoney1041) was shocked that Guardiola hadn't chosen Doku:
"Doku on the bench???? Man y'all don't want to win."
Here's how fans on X reacted as Guardiola opted to bench Doku against Arsenal:
Gary Neville urges Arsenal to beat Manchester City to strengthen their title credentials
Gary Neville has told Arsenal that they need to do the job of beating Manchester City to the title themselves by beating them at the Emirates. He talked up the encounter between last season's title rivals, stating on X:
"It should be good. If you’re going to win the league Arsenal don’t expect others to do your job. You have to leave one on them! Don’t miss this opportunity especially with City having players out."
City are without the likes of Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring), John Stones (muscular) and Rodri (suspension). However, they have an incredible record against the Gunners in the league, beating them in their last 12 clashes.