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New Phillies reliever Jhoan Duran was called upon to close out his first game with his new club against the Detroit Tigers on Friday night, and his first entrance was absolutely electric.

Duran, nicknamed the Durantula, was known during his time with the Minnesota Twins to emerge from the bullpen to intense music, a light show, and the home crowd waving their cellphone lights. That routine won't be changing now that he's in Philadelphia, as Citizens Bank Park gave him the same treatment.

Here's a look at the entrance:

With the Phillies holding onto a 5-4 lead, Duran needed only four pitches to get the job done, forcing a groundout, a foul-out, and a lineout to secure the victory.

It's been a whirlwind couple of days for Duran, who was heartbroken to be dumped by Minnesota. But, after being able to get his No. 59 jersey from his new manager Rob Thomson and securing his first save for the National League East-leading Phillies, he's surely already starting to feel right at home.

Sweden boss Graham Potter shared an update on Dejan Kulusevski's injury as the Tottenham star continues a lengthy recovery. The 25-year-old has not played a minute under new Spurs manager Thomas Frank after suffering a right patella injury in May during a Premier League match against Crystal Palace. It was a blow that ruled him out of Tottenham’s Europa League final triumph over Manchester United.

Potter happy with Kulusevski's progress

Kulusevski underwent surgery shortly after the injury and has spent the past five months rehabbing, mostly away from the spotlight. But after Sweden’s 1-1 draw with Slovenia, Potter confirmed the midfielder is finally moving into the later stages of his recovery. 

"Dejan is taking steps forward. He was happy with where he is in his rehabilitation," Potter informed. "It’s in Tottenham’s hands, and his. But he was feeling good when I last spoke to him and I look forward to seeing him maybe at Christmas or around New Year."

Potter warned, however, that nothing is guaranteed: "There is a lot of football to be played until then. Nobody knows for sure what it will look like in March. That is the reality. But he is in a good place, and he was happy with his rehabilitation last time we spoke. Then he was ready to take the next step [in rehabilitation]. But there is no stress involved. He will do his rehab in a good way and if he does that, I am pretty sure we will see him on the pitch soon.”

His comments suggest that Sweden expect to have Kulusevski fit for March’s World Cup play-off against Ukraine. It is a fixture of enormous importance after the Scandinavians finished bottom of their qualifying group but earned a second chance via their Nations League performance. 

AdvertisementTraining footage sparks optimism

During the international break, Spurs defender Destiny Udogie posted footage showing Kulusevski back on the grass at a warm-weather camp in the Middle East. The video delighted supporters, but Tottenham’s medical staff remain determined not to accelerate his schedule. Frank stated in September that he hoped to have the Swede back "before the end of the year" but refused to specify an exact return date.

"Instead of putting an exact month on it – October, November, December – I just want him back as quickly as possible," he said. "The medical guys and Kulusevski are working really hard on that. So, it's not tomorrow, but hopefully not too far away."

When further pushed, whether Kulusevski will be available at the start of the new year, he added: "Yes, there's a good chance of that."

In September, Kulusevski surprised fans by sharing an unfiltered photograph from his operation, showing surgeons holding his kneecap open. He accompanied it with a cryptic caption: “Warning for sensitive content. Thank God it happened so I could see it clear.”

Despite the graphic nature of the post, his tone during an interview with was noticeably optimistic.

"The status is great. I wake up every day with the same hunger," he said. "I will be back in the very, very near future. If everything goes according to plan, I’m confident I’ll be back in two to three months."

Spurs’ injury list continues to grow

Tottenham’s attacking options have been severely reduced in recent months. Alongside Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke, playmaker James Maddison is also out with a knee injury, while deadline-day loan signing Randal Kolo Muani fractured his jaw against Manchester United and remains uncertain. Solanke has managed just three competitive appearances for Tottenham this season, last featuring in the 2-0 win at Manchester City in August. Although Frank reassured supporters the injury was "not serious", Solanke later underwent a "small procedure" and has been out ever since.

Solanke told "It’s been very difficult. At first, I didn’t think I would be out for too long but we didn’t really understand the extent of the injury. I was trying to get back as quickly as I could but it didn’t happen, so I had to have surgery. Since then, I have been working to get back. I’m not putting a timeline on it because I’ve been telling everyone ‘I’m going to be back soon’ for the last few months. I’m taking it day by day but hopefully I won’t be much longer."

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Getty Images SportMassive test at Arsenal looms

Spurs sit fifth in the Premier League with 18 points from 11 matches. They travel next to the Emirates to face top-of-the-table Arsenal on Sunday, trailing Mikel Arteta’s side by four points. Victory would boost their Champions League ambitions and, more importantly, hand them the bragging rights of north London.

علّق حازم إمام، نجم الزمالك السابق، على أداء الفارس الأبيض خلال الفترة الأخيرة، متحدثًا عن أبرز نقاط القوة والضعف التي ظهرت في مواجهة كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي بكأس الكونفدرالية، ومحللًا قرارات الجهاز الفني ومستوى عدد من اللاعبين.

وقال حازم إمام في تصريحات إذاعية عبر إذاعة “أون سبورت إف إم”: “الزمالك، من وجهة نظري، قدّم مباراة جيدة إلى حدٍّ ما، لكنه فريق محيّر بالنسبة لي، في مباراة زيسكو، ورغم الفوز، لم يؤدِّ الفريق مباراة قوية، كما لعب وهو يفتقد عبد الله السعيد وعددًا من اللاعبين المهمين مثل دونجا، في ظل إصابات ومشكلات عديدة داخل الفريق”.

وتابع: “مباراة زيسكو جعلت الكثيرين يتحدثون عن حالة الفريق، وعن عبد الرؤوف وتغييراته، ثم فجأة تجد نفسك أمام فريق مثل كايزر تشيفز، وهو فريق محترم للغاية ويقدّم كرة جميلة، كما أن فرق جنوب إفريقيا دائمًا ما تُرهق الفرق المصرية بأسلوبها المعتمد على التمريرات”.

وأضاف: “وجدت أن الزمالك بقيادة عبد الرؤوف وضع تشكيلًا جيدًا للغاية، ووضع محمد إسماعيل في مركز مهم، وأود الإشادة بكلٍّ من عبد الرؤوف وإسماعيل، فاختيار إسماعيل في هذا المركز كان موفقًا جدًا، إسماعيل قدّم مباراة ممتازة كمدافع وسط (رقم 6)، رغم أنه لم يسبق له اللعب بهذا الدور مع الزمالك، وواجه مباراة كبيرة خارج الديار، ومع ذلك كان رائعًا”.

وواصل: “إسماعيل أعجبني كثيرًا؛ يقطع الكرة جيدًا، ويجيد المراوغة والتمرير، وهذا أمر غير معتاد كثيرًا في لاعبي مركز 6، لديه رؤية، ويلعب الكرة بثقة، وأعتقد أن استبداله كان بسبب حصوله على بطاقة إنذار وخشية حصوله على إنذار ثانٍ”.

وأردف: “الكثير من اللاعبين في مسيرتهم ينتقلون من مركز إلى آخر ويتحولون إلى لاعبين أفضل، مدحت عبد الهادي مثلًا كان يلعب كجناح أيمن في الناشئين، ثم تم توظيفه كقلب دفاع، وأصبح من أهم مدافعي الزمالك ومصر”.

وأضاف: “إسماعيل لاعب جيد أيضًا في مركز قلب الدفاع، لكني أعجبت به كثيرًا في مركز الوسط المدافع في مباراة الأمس، لأنه يمتلك روؤية ومهارات”.

طالع أيضًا | “على مسؤوليتي”.. شوبير يرشح لاعبًا لـ الزمالك بعد أزمة عواد وينتقد الإدارة

أشار: “الفرقة كلها كانت جيدة؛ فتوح قدم أداءً ممتازًا، وعمر جابر، والونش، وحسام عبد المجيد، وصبحي حتى اللقطة الشهيرة، أما ناصر ماهر فلم يكن في أفضل حالاته، وسيف الجزيري دائمًا ما أقول إنه أفضل مهاجم في الزمالك، ولا يجب إبعاده أبدًا”.

وتابع: “سيف الجزيري سجّل هدفًا لم يُحتسب بداعي وجود التحام، وعندما أعيدت اللقطة لم يظهر أي خطأ، نحن في 2025 ونلعب في إفريقيا دون وجود تقنية الفار! الزمالك بالأمس تعرّض لمواقف كانت بحاجة لمراجعة فار، وكذلك الأهلي في مباراته”.

وأكمل: “الزمالك قدّم مباراة كبيرة وكان يستحق الفوز، لأول مرة منذ فترة أرى الزمالك أمام فريق جنوب إفريقي، وهو في وضع غير جيد، ويقدّم هذا الأداء، سجّل هدفين، وسيطر على الكرة، بينما لم يصنع الفريق الجنوب أفريقي أي فرصة خطيرة تقريبًا سوى كرة سيرينو”.

وشدد: “البعض يلوم محمد صبحي على الهدف، وهو بالفعل يتحمل جزءًا من المسؤولية، لكن في المقابل كان يمكن للزمالك إنهاء المباراة بنتيجة 2–0 أو 3–0 بسهولة، خصوصًا في فرصة بيزيرا التي أهدرها بسبب اللعب الفردي وعدم التمرير لزملائه”.

واختتم: “هذه الفرص لا تتكرر كثيرًا أمام فرق قوية، وعليك أن تسجّل لتتجنب أي أخطاء قد تحدث، الكرة التي سكنت شباك صبحي لم يتعامل معها بشكل صحيح، فدخلت هدفًا، ومنحت كايزر تشيفز نقطة وأملًا جديدًا، لكني أعتقد أن الزمالك والمصري هما الأقرب لحسم المركزين الأول والثاني في هذه المرحلة”.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Plano Orçamentário do Internacional para 2026, que será votado pelo Conselho Deliberativo na próxima segunda-feira (10), prevê superávit. Os documentos, distribuídos aos conselheiros para análise, foram obtidos pelo Lance!, que traz alguns detalhes. Alguns números foram antecipados pelo jornalista identificado Alexandre Ernst em seu canal no Youtube. Chamam atenção projeções que não serão cumpridas, já que o clube não terá participação em nenhuma competição internacional.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalInternacional recusa proposta por zagueiro. O que o Lance! sabeFutebol Nacional10/12/2025InternacionalQuarta será decisiva para o futuro do InternacionalInternacional10/12/2025InternacionalInternacional levanta transfer ban aplicado pela FifaInternacional10/12/2025

➡️Tudo sobre o Colorado agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Internacional

O orçamento foi auditado pelo Conselho Fiscal com apoio técnico da Cerutti & Machado Auditores Associados. No parecer final, o CF recomenda a aprovação dos valores.

Internacional calcula superávit

Após um déficit R$ 34,4 milhões em 2024, provocado principalmente pelos trabalhos necessários para recuperar o Beira-Rio e o CT Parque Gigante depois da enchente de maio daquele ano, o clube prevê segundo ano consecutivo de superávit. Ele será menor, porém. Se em 2025 o saldo positivo será de R$ 7,6 milhões, para 2026 o lucro será de apenas R$ 530,4 mil.

continua após a publicidade

Esse resultado, contudo, tende a ser pior, podendo, inclusive, se transformar em déficit. Isso porque a peça encaminhada ao CF e ao CD inclui a previsão de arrecadação com jogos e cotas de TV de participação em competições da Conmebol, somando R$ 23 milhões, que o clube deixará de arrecadar.

Números que chamam atenção

Outros números que chamam atenção estão relacionados à venda de jogadores. Para este ano, o Alvirrubro previa R$ 160 milhões nessa rubrica – até agora garantiu R$ 116,6 milhões. Para o próximo, o total seria de R$ 171,6 milhões.

continua após a publicidade

Por outro lado, está projetada uma redução nos custos do futebol. Em 2025, somando masculino, feminino, base, logística e outros gastos, o total chegava a R$ 431,5 milhões. Para 2026, o montante cai para R$ 406,6 milhões. Na folha, calculando todas as categoria e juntando salário, benefícios e direitos de imagens, o total cai de R$ 258,3 milhões, ou R$ 21,5 milhões mês, para R$ 253 milhões, R$ 21,1 milhões mês.

Alguns números

Tudo sobre

Futebol NacionalInternacionalLance! Biz

Aston Villa are now battling Manchester United for the signature of AC Milan star Christian Pulisic, amid a new update on his future at the San Siro.

Villa’s interest in a new forward comes amid doubts over both Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott, with the former failing to hit the ground running since arriving on loan in the summer, being unable to register a goal or assist in his opening eight matches in all competitions.

Elliott, on the other hand, hasn’t received any game time in the Premier League since the end of September, with transfer correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealing the attacking midfielder could be set to return to Anfield, saying: “Aston Villa does seem to be having second thoughts on potentially making that long deal permanent as well.

“There’s a possibility he returns to Anfield in the January window if he’s not going to figure in Unai Emery’s plans going forward.”

As such, if the Villans are to remain in the hunt for the European places, Emery may want to bolster his attacking options this winter, and a new target has now been identified…

Aston Villa now fighting Man Utd for Christian Pulisic

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa are now battling Manchester United for the signature of Pulisic, and view the American as an ideal addition to the squad, given that they are looking to bring in a versatile forward.

The 27-year-old is able to play both through the middle and out wide, which is what has alerted Villa, but there is a possibility he remains at the San Siro, with it being revealed that AC Milan have already opened talks over a new contract.

The Milan star’s agent is already ‘handling offers’ and awaiting a decision about where he would like to play next, with a move to Villa Park potentially attractive, given that he would be likely to receive regular first-team football.

The former Chelsea man has managed to establish himself as an important player for AC Milan, and his performances over the past year have been very impressive, placing in the 86th percentile for non-penalty goals and assists per 90, when compared to his positional peers.

Although Milan underperformed last season, finishing eighth in Serie A, the USA international remained a reliable source of goals and assists in all competitions.

Christian Pulisic’s output in 2024-25

Appearances

Goal contributions

Serie A

34

22

Champions League

9

5

Italian Super Cup

2

2

The versatile forward, who has scored 32 goals for the USA, has also been lauded by journalist Jacob Schneider, who described him as “sensational” on X.

Pulisic has clearly taken his game to the next level in the Serie A, so he could be a real statement signing for Aston Villa, but the competition from Man United could pose a problem.

Aston Villa want deal for Real Madrid forward done ASAP Aston Villa want deal for Real Madrid forward done ASAP after making offer

The Villans have made an approach for a new forward, but there could be major competition from their Premier League rivals.

ByDominic Lund Nov 16, 2025

Everton have now reportedly joined the race to sign Daizen Maeda in the January transfer window after the Japan international made his exit stance clear to Celtic.

The Toffees’ search for a striker is beginning to become an open secret ahead of the winte window. Neither Beto nor Thierno Barry have hit the heights that those in Merseyside were expecting, with the latter yet to even score a goal this season, and they are now reportedly on the hunt for an extra reinforcement.

Everton hatch striker plan as Moyes moves for star with 18 goals this season

The Toffees’ strikers have struggled to convert and they now have a clinical star in their sights.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 9, 2025

On that front, a number of names have already been mentioned as potential options. including Ivan Toney and Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee. There is a belief that the former will have to complete a return to Europe if he wants to earn a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup. Whether that will see Everton make their move remains to be seen, however.

Zirkzee would also be an interesting choice. The Dutchman has lost his place at Man United ever since the arrivals of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko and now needs a similar revival to the one that Jack Grealish is currently enjoying.

Whether he’d solve their goalscoring problems is another question, though. The forward is more of a false nine than an out-and-out goalscorer, which suggests that he wouldn’t solve David Moyes’ current issue.

The Toffees may not necessarily turn to Premier League experience in 2026 either, with Maeda now also an option.

Everton join race to sign Maeda

As reported by TeamTalk, The Friedkin Group and Everton are now racing to sign Maeda after he told Celtic that he wants to leave the club in 2026. The forward was denied a move in the summer, much to his frustration, but has now told the Bhoys that he’s ready to complete an exit away from Glasgow.

Sending the Premier League on high alert, Everton, Brentford, Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United have all reportedly formed the early race to secure Maeda’s signature, which is available for just £15m.

Although the versatile forward has struggled for goals so far this season – scoring just four goals in 17 games – it’s worth taking Celtic’s own struggles into accout and looking back to just how impressive Maeda was last season.

The 28-year-old scored 33 goals in all competitions last time out and eared justified praised from former manager Brendan Rodgers, who said: “If you are a young player coming through and want to give your honesty to the game, work, intensity and everything.

“No cheating, no nothing – even away at St Mirren, the penalty we got last week he tried to stay on his feet – he’s so honest to the game. Natural isn’t it? He’s been absolutely brilliant.”

Everton now exploring James Ward-Prowse move with Janaury exit expected

Manchester United find themselves building something worthwhile under Ruben Amorim and could now be set to outstrip their rivals to sign Leicester City sensation Jeremy Monga.

While having to settle for a draw at the City Ground last Saturday may have been a frustrating outcome, there were plenty of positives on show as the Red Devils came from a goal down to claim a point at Nottingham Forest.

Four Premier League matches unbeaten may not have the same ring to it as five wins in a row. However, there is undeniable progress being made at Old Trafford, and Amorim’s side are starting to find consistency in time for the festive run of fixtures.

Still, the former Sporting boss is keen to seek more improvement, pointing out that his side suffered from lapses of concentration that ended their hopes of another victory on the road.

He said on Match of the Day: “If I think about game, we lost control for five minutes. I feel in the recent past if we had had this situation, going from 1-0 up to 2-1 down, we would’ve struggled so much more than we did today.

“My feeling is that we played well but we dropped a little bit of energy. When we are full of energy, we are the better team. My players are giving everything but we have the potential to do better and sometimes we have these moments.”

There is a feeling that the best is still to come under Amorim. His reign has taken time to get off the ground, but the January window and beyond offers another chance to shape his team with key reinforcements.

With that in mind, the Red Devils are feeling some optimism that they could beat bitter rivals Manchester City to sign a top talent.

Man Utd looking to beat Man City to sign Leicester City star Jeremy Monga

According to Football Insider, Man Utd hold optimism that they can sign Jeremy Monga from Leicester City, and they could land him for as little as £2 million due to the fact the 16-year-old isn’t yet eligible to pen a professional deal at the Foxes until he turns 17.

Coming under the bracket of nominal compensation, the Red Devils’ target has registered a solitary strike and an assist in 12 appearances this campaign, breaking Jude Bellingham’s record as the Championship’s youngest ever goalscorer against Preston North End.

Compared to Ousmane Dembele by Ben Mattinson, he came close to joining Manchester City and Liverpool earlier in the year, and the Red Devils see Monga as the next in a line of poaching elite talent from other clubs following their additions of Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi Martin.

Manchester United are keen to back Amorim over the coming years, and securing prodigious stars who can potentially go on to become worth millions is an effective way of breeding squad improvement, factoring in financial limitations.

Man Utd are also preparing a big-money bid for a star from South America

That process will take time and effort, granted, though profiling players like Monga is the way to go if the Red Devils have designs on eventually rejoining the Premier League elite.

The Yankees fell short of the ultimate goal again when they were eliminated by the Blue Jays in Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday.

New York fell in a 2-0 hole after the series opened in Toronto and battled back to take Game 3 on Tuesday, only to watch its season end with a 5-2 loss in Game 4 on Wednesday night. After the game, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone was asked if he has any doubts about his future in New York after he finished his eighth year managing the team.

"No, I'm under contract," he said. "I don't expect anything."

Before the regular season, the Yankees announced they had reached a two-year contract extension with Boone to keep him as their manager through the 2027 season. He remains confident his team will eventually break through and win the franchise's first World Series since '09.

"I believe in so many people in that room," he said postgame via SNY. "That hasn't changed, the fire hasn't changed. It's hard to win the World Series, been chasing it all my life."

The Yankees went 94-68 in the regular season, tying the Blue Jays for the best record in the AL, but they were given the first wild-card spot because Toronto held the tiebreaker. They had a chance to put the Blue Jays behind them, but Toronto's home-field advantage and high-powered offense was too much to overcome. Boone admitted it wasn't the easiest year for him personally, but he expects to be back in the Bronx next season and make a run at the World Series full force.

"This has been a tough year for me personally," he mentioned Wednesday via Fox. "But all you go through to become this team you think can really do something special and for it to abruptly end is always difficult."

Winning at least 90 games in six of his eight seasons as the Yankees' skipper, Boone is still in search of that elusive World Series.

Manchester United are battling Chelsea over the signing of RB Leipzig’s highly-rated young midfielder Assan Ouedraogo, as Ruben Amorim eyes up new additions.

The Red Devils fell to a woeful 1-0 defeat at home to Everton on Monday evening, failing to beat a Blues side who played most of the game with ten men.

It was a big setback for Amorim, with United now going three Premier League matches without a win, and the manager bemoaned the performance of his players at Old Trafford.

It was further proof that United need to look at midfield additions, whether that be in the January or summer transfer window, and an exciting update has now dropped in that respect.

Man Utd have upper hand on Chelsea in Assan Ouedraogo race

According to Sky Germany [via Sport Witness], Manchester United are pushing ahead in their efforts to sign Ouedraogo from Leipzig in 2026. The Red Devils’ interest in the 19-year-old is “becoming more concrete” all the time, with Premier League rivals Chelsea also pushing for a deal.

United have an upper hand in that they have already had contacts with the player’s camp, pursuing him before he left Schalke in June 2024, but a “top offer” will be needed to pry him away from Leipzig given he has no release clause.

Ouedraogo is a huge young talent with so much potential, so United should be looking at him as a fantastic option to add to their midfield in the coming months.

Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes are both in their 30s now, and struggled together against Everton, but the Leipzig star would be a long-term signing who would add much-needed fresh legs in the middle of the park.

Related Amorim and Wilcox agree on blockbuster Man Utd move for "elite" £80m star

The Red Devils could now make a notable signing that would be represent a statement at Old Trafford.

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Nov 24, 2025

Ouedraogo recently scored on his debut for Germany, and he will be pushing to be one of the standout youngsters at 2026 World Cup, with scout Antonio Mango desribing him as a “midfield sensation” earlier this month.

While the German teenager is at his happiest in a central midfield role, he can also shine in a more attacking central berth, as well as on the left wing, and United beating Chelsea and others to his signature would feel like a major statement of intent.

Worse than Bruno Fernandes vs Everton: Amorim must bin Man Utd's 3/10 flop

Manchester City’s victory over Liverpool on Sunday afternoon was a sensational performance which gave Pep Guardiola’s side even more daylight on the 2024/25 Premier League champions.

City put Liverpool to the sword in Guardiola’s 1000th game as a manager, running out 3-0 victors.

The East Mancunian side are still some way off the top of the table, with Arsenal four points clear and comfortably leading the way. Yet, City are finding their best form, having now won four of their last five games, and leading the way for the most goals scored in the top flight.

The main reason for that form in front of goal is Erling Haaland.

How Haaland's start to 2025/26 compares to other seasons

It has got to the point where you watch Haaland now and wonder when, not if, he will score. The Norwegian striker is the most clinical player in the Premier League, and, despite being 108 games into his English top-flight career, is already one goal away from a century.

This season, Haaland has been at his very best. In the Premier League, he’s found the back of the net 14 times in just 11 games.

All of those have come from open play, too, a run which has stayed intact after missing a penalty against Liverpool. Of course, he still got on the scoresheet on Sunday anyway.

City’s striker is in exceptional form, and it does seem nigh on impossible to stop him. But, this is not even his best start to a Premier League season for City. That came in his debut campaign back in 2022/23, when he bagged 15 goals in the first 11 matches.

The following term, 2023/24, was his worst start. That is ironic, given that his 11 goals in as many games would be the ideal way for most strikers to begin the campaign. In 2024/25, Haaland has 12 goals in the first 11 games.

With 19 goals for City in all competitions, it is fair to say the City number 9 is in the form of his life. Yet, there is one of his teammates who could also be in that category.

Man City star is hitting his best form alongside Haaland

Things are starting to click for Guardiola’s side in recent weeks, with Haaland, of course, looking at his very best. Phil Foden is another player who is motoring and has put in some excellent performances in the Champions League.

But it is the man who was player of the match against Liverpool who looks to be in the form of his life. Jeremy Doku shone against the Reds with a dazzling display, capped off with a goal of the highest quality.

It was a performance from the winger which will live long in the memory of City fans. He completed an unbelievable seven out of eight dribbles and was relentless against Conor Bradley.

His goal from the edge of the box saw him drive inside, buy a yard of space and unleash an effort that sailed into the top right corner.

It is not only that game that suggests Doku is playing his best football yet. City’s number 11 has some exceptional underlying numbers, averaging 3.33 key passes and 10.72 progressive carries per 90 minutes. Both of these rank him in the top 1% of positionally similar players in the Premier League.

Described as an “unstoppable” force by BBC Sport analyst Umir, the Belgian winger already has three goals and four assists in 16 games for the Citizens this term. His best campaign saw him get 17 goals and assists across all competitions, so to be 41% of the way to that total is impressive.

With the sort of form the 23-year-old is showcasing this season, it is easy to see how he is in the form of his life. At the current rate, he could easily have his most productive season in terms of goals and assists, whilst helping City push for titles in all competitions.

Man City "genius" looks like the player Liverpool thought Wirtz would be

This Man City star has outshone Wirtz in less minutes this season

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By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 7, 2025