Pep Guardiola issues Jeremy Doku fitness update ahead of Leeds United trip | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided a fitness update on Jeremy Doku ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Leeds United.

The Blues can extend their winning run to six games in all competitions with a win at Elland Road as they look to keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal.

A brace from Nico O’Reilly helped Guardiola’s side to a 2-1 win over Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium last time out, with City still in the running on all four fronts in the final months of the season.

Arsenal enter this weekend’s fixtures five points ahead of City, having played an additional game, as they aim to fend off a title challenge from the Etihad Stadium and win their first league crown in 22 years.

Manchester City have seen Ruben Dias, John Stones and Savinho return to action in recent weeks, with Guardiola’s personnel problems in defence from January in particular long behind him.

January signings Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi continue to impress since joining City from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace respectively, with the pair expected to retain their starting XI sports against Leeds United this weekend.

Mateo Kovacic has returned to individual training on the pitch after undergoing ankle surgery in November 2025, though the Croatia international is still far away from a full return to first-team training.

Josko Gvardiol also continues to recover from a tibial fracture he sustained in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in January, with the 23-year-old defender vying for a return in April or May.

Max Alleyne also went off after 20 minutes in a 2-0 FA Cup fourth round win over Salford City a few weeks ago, having helped his boyhood club navigate a tricky run of results in January upon an emergency return to Manchester from loan at Watford.

Jeremy Doku has missed the last month of action after suffering a calf injury in a 2-0 UEFA Champions League win over Galatasaray in January.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of Saturday’s visit to Elland Road, Guardiola issued an update on the Belgian’s fitness as the Blues look for further reinforcements in attack.

“Yesterday, (he) made the first training session,” said Guardiola on Doku’s return to fitness on Friday. When probed further on when he expects the Belgian to be declared match-fit, the Manchester City manager added: “I don’t know. We’ll talk with the doctors and physios.”

Omar Marmoush has also been in fine form since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations in January and while Doku remains out, the Egypt international will be looking for more minutes alongside Semenyo and Savinho in the wide attacking areas.