Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku have been challenged by Pep Guardiola to out-do each other in the fight for the left-wing berth at Manchester City.
Grealish, nearly ever-present during City’s march to last season’s Treble, returned from injury this week but has watched Doku flourish in his absence.
The 21-year-old offers something different from wide areas, a more direct attacker and boasts an unpredictability that Guardiola felt the team had been missing.
Debate has raged online over whether Doku deserves to keep his place in the starting XI ahead of Saturday’s trip to Wolves.
‘Jeremy can play on the right as well,’ Guardiola said. ‘Who’s going to play more? It’s who performs better. It’s simple. Phil (Foden) can play on the left too. The guy who performs well and feels better will have more chance to play.’
City are looking to record seven consecutive victories on the hunt for a fourth title on the trot but go to Molineux without Rodri, John Stones, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva.
Guardiola admitted that Rodri is ‘difficult to replace’, with Mateo Kovacic, ex-Wolves man Matheus Nunes and Kalvin Phillips all vying for places.
‘It is what it is,’ the City boss added. ‘You have to find solutions. We’re not here to complain. The players want to come back. We have to recover and be ready.
‘Kalvin has a chance like the other ones. He’s part of the group, made incredible contributions. I don’t have any complaints. Sometimes we’re looking for specifics for certain type of skills.
‘Maybe he struggles a bit more when it’s about details. It was a tough game against Newcastle, he helped us a lot against Nottingham Forest.’
