Man City vs. Sunderland: New Jeremy Doku injury update as Enzo Maresca makes bold claim before Premier League clash

By Oliver Thomas | 18 Sep 2026 14:26, Last updated: 18 Sep 2026 14:28

Enzo Maresca has provided a affirmative update connected the availability of Jeremy Doku up of Manchester City’s Premier League clash against Sunderland astatine the Etihad Stadium connected Sunday.

The Belgium planetary aggravated a calf wounded successful the Community Shield decision to Arsenal past period and has since missed City’s past six matches crossed each competitions.

Maresca stated earlier the Citizens’ 5-0 EFL Cup win implicit Norwich City connected Thursday that Doku is “very close” to making a first-team comeback.

Speaking up of Sunday’s top-flight fixture, Maresca told reporters: "Probably helium tin beryllium disposable for the Sunderland game."

Doku’s instrumentality would correspond a invited boost for Man City aft the winger made a notable content past season, contributing to 8 goals and 14 assists successful 47 games nether erstwhile manager Pep Guardiola.

It remains to beryllium seen whether Doku volition beryllium acceptable to start, with an quality disconnected the substitutes' seat seemingly much apt arsenic Antoine Semenyo, Iliman Ndiaye and Allan conflict for starts retired wide.

Man City vs. Sunderland: Maresca gearing up for “toughest game” of the season

Man City person made a cleanable commencement to their Premier League campaign, with wins implicit Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Coventry City followed by a arguable yet “unbelievable” 1-0 derby triumph implicit rivals Manchester United past weekend.

The Citizens are present preparing for what Maresca has described arsenic their “toughest game” of the play truthful acold against a Sunderland outfit who claimed their maiden Europa League victory implicit AZ Alkmaar connected Wednesday.

“I watched them already successful the past 2 days, 3 oregon 4 games. I cognize them already,” said Maresca. “I cognize however beardown they are, and I person the feeling that connected Sunday we request a apical show to bushed them, and we request to beryllium 100% to triumph the game.

“I watched the crippled unrecorded against Arsenal, and past I watched again the past 2 days. If you ticker the game, you tin recognize however beardown they are. I deliberation personally that they didn’t merit to suffer that game.

“But again, they are precise strong, precise good coached from their manager. And again, they are already person clip together, truthful you tin spot what they privation to bash connected the shot and disconnected the ball.

“My feeling is, aft watching them, is that connected Sunday it volition beryllium the toughest crippled since the commencement of the season.”

Man City’s Maresca “not surprised” by Sunderland’s quality

Maresca added: “If you ticker them, you are not amazed [at however good they person done], due to the fact that you volition realise however bully they are, however bully they are connected the ball, disconnected the ball, however assertive they are, the magnitude of duels that they triumph each game.

“If you’re conscionable reasoning about, the squad got promoted and past [qualify for] Europe, you are amazed - but if you ticker them, you are not amazed due to the fact that you recognize however bully they are.

“But successful beforehand of our fans, it’s ever bully and peculiar to play, truthful overmuch amended to play present than away.

“It’s important due to the fact that successful lawsuit we win, it’s 1 much win. But arsenic I say, I person the feeling that Sunderland crippled volition beryllium the toughest crippled since we started the season.”

Regis Le Bris's Sunderland person collected 4 points from their opening 4 Premier League games this season, astir precocious losing 2-0 astatine location to champions Arsenal past weekend.

The Black Cats caput into Sunday’s fixture having ne'er won astatine the Etihad, with Man City unbeaten successful each 14 of their Premier League location meetings (W12 D2).