Maresca confirms Doku will miss the Manchester derby

Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Jérémy Doku will not make it in time for the Manchester derby. As the coach explained, the winger is not ready to play on Sunday, so he will be unable to feature.

That means Doku will miss the Premier League match against Manchester United, according to Maresca’s confirmation reported by Fabrizio Romano. With Doku being a key player for direct running and attacking threat, his absence is likely to force a tweak in City’s game plan.

A notable absence

The update is direct: Doku won’t be available for the clash against their rivals. With the game approaching immediately, City will need to decide who steps in on the wide areas and how they adjust the attacking tempo.

What it means for the setup

For now, the main question is who fills Doku’s role on the flank and how the team balances width, pace, and combinations without him. The coaching staff gets time to prepare a specific plan, but in a derby, small differences matter.

Fabrizio Romano frames the situation simply as a fitness/readiness call: Doku isn’t ready to play and therefore misses the derby.