“Thanks to the Lord!” – Jeremy Doku reveals damage done by dangerous Diogo Dalot challenge in Manchester derby | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku has broken his silence on Diogo Dalot’s dangerous challenge high on the Belgian’s knee in the Manchester derby a few weeks ago.

City put in one of their most toothless derby displays under Pep Guardiola at Old Trafford earlier this month as goals from Bryan Mbuemo and Patrick Dorgu helped Manchester United to a flying 2-0 win in Michael Carrick’s first game in charge since the sacking of Ruben Amorim.

However, the major talking point of the derby came in the first-half, when Dalot put in a dangerous challenge studs-high challenge on Doku’s knee – a controversial challenge which saw the Portuguese defender pick up a yellow card, much to the angst of the Manchester City players.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola held his tongue on the challenge in his post-match interview at Old Trafford, though the Catalan couldn’t help but aim a dig at referee Farai Hallam for denying his side a penalty in a 2-0 win over Wolves at the weekend.

After a VAR review on the challenge, a statement issued by the Premier League explaining why Dalot only received a yellow card read: the Premier League said: “The referee’s call of yellow card to (Diogo) Dalot for a reckless challenge (on Jeremy Doku) was checked and confirmed by VAR – with the contact deemed to be glancing and not with excessive force.”

Doku continued to play on despite appearing a major discomfort as a result of the challenge, though the 23-year-old was deemed unfit to come off the bench and help Manchester City overturn a deficit in Norway just days later as they lost 3-1 to Bodo/Glimt.

The former Rennes star is set to start in a monumental UEFA Champions League group-stage fixture against Galatasaray on Wednesday night, with Doku asked about Dalot’s challenge in a press conference ahead of a reunion with former Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan.

“I got a knock on my knee (against Manchester United) and that prevented me to play in Norway (against Bodo/Glimt) because I was still in pain. That was the reason I didn’t play, but I feel good now,” Doku said on Tuesday afternoon.

Quizzed specifically on the risk that Dalot’s challenge carried, Doku added: “I think you guys know my feeling about it. I could have (been injured for a long time). But that happened, I didn’t play in Norway, and that’s it.

“I don’t want to get too much into it because it’s the past now. Thanks to the Lord that I didn’t get injured badly and that I’m able to play now. That’s the only thing I can focus on now.”

After being rested against Wolves on Saturday, Doku is in line to return to the starting XI against Galatasaray alongside Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, with Antoine Semenyo ineligible to feature in the UEFA Champions League for Manchester City until the knockout stages.

With Omar Marmoush also returning to the scoresheet against Wolves on his first start for City in over a month, Doku will want to make a start against Galatasaray count as best as he can amid rising competition on the wings at the Etihad Stadium.