The sky is the limit for Jeremy Doku at Manchester City, says Pep Guardiola ahead of Crystal Palace clash | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has placed the responsibility for Jeremy Doku’s continued development squarely on the Belgian’s own shoulders, insisting his ceiling is entirely within his own hands.

Doku has been one of the standout attackers for Manchester City this season, contributing eight goals and 14 assists in all competitions as the Blues contest for a domestic treble in the final weeks of the campaign.

The 23-year-old’s brace in last week’s 3-3 draw at Everton – including a 97th minute equaliser – and his opener in the recent 3-0 win over Brentford have made him one of the most decisive players in City’s run-in.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of Wednesday’s must-win clash with Crystal Palace, Guardiola was asked about the winger’s room for improvement as the season reaches its climax.

Doku’s limits depend on him, says Guardiola ahead of Palace

Guardiola’s answer went beyond the question of finishing the season well, extending to a broader philosophy on what separates players who fulfil their potential from those who do not.

“I think not just finishing the season well, I think all the season has been really good, really really good and the limits depends on him,” the Manchester City head coach said on Doku.

“The players who want to be better will be better. The players who live all their life trying to be a better player and prepare the bodies and mindset to be better, will be better, it depends on him. The players always belong to them how they want to become.”

The message is a familiar one from Guardiola, a manager who has consistently placed the onus of individual growth on the player rather than the system around them.

He made a similar remark about Phil Foden earlier this week, urging the England international to rediscover his joy for the game and reminding him that nobody else could do that for him.

What does Guardiola’s assessment mean for Doku’s future?

The words carry added significance given the context of what Doku has already achieved this season, having posted eye-catching attacking numbers that are finally starting to reflect his heroics down the wings for City over the years.

Guardiola told reporters earlier this week that the winger had made a genuine step up this term, not just in terms of output but in understanding what is required of a winger at the highest level, going beyond one-on-one duels to become a player who impacts games through goals and decisive contributions.

That the Manchester City manager is now pointing to even greater heights as a realistic prospect is the most compelling endorsement Doku could receive.

With City’s domestic treble push entering its final stages and the FA Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley on the horizon, Doku has every opportunity to close out the season in the manner that makes Guardiola’s words look, if anything, like an understatement.