Man City: Pep Guardiola issues 'unstoppable' verdict on star after superb Champions League showing | OneFootball

Flying forward impressed in European opener

Pep Guardiola hailed Jeremy Doku as “unstoppable” after the Belgian netted the second goal in Man City’s 2-0 win over Napoli in the Champions League.

Doku doubled the hosts’ lead with an outstanding burst into the box, weaving through bodies before tucking it beyond Vanja Milinkovic-Savic in the visiting net.

Afterwards, Guardiola heaped praise on the forward.

“In the smaller spaces, five metres, he is unstoppable,” Guardiola told TNT Sports.

When asked by TNT Sports’ Jules Breach - who had “no words” for the Norwegian striker’s exploits - about Haaland’s record, Guardiola simply replied, “Me neither. In the first half, he could have done it. Milinkovic-Savic is an unbelievable keeper making incredible saves.”

The Napoli shot-stopper denied City’s No9 a handful of times in the opening 45 minutes, but Haaland finally broke the deadlock with a looping header that stemmed from Phil Foden’s cute, clipped ball over the top on 56 minutes.

Doku then notched his goal 10 minutes later to seal the three points against the Serie A champions, who were down to 10 men after Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s red card, which he earned after denying Haaland a clear goalscoring opportunity in the first half.

That meant that Kevin De Bruyne, returning to City for the first time since leaving the north-west in the summer, had his fairytale comeback cut short by Antonio Conte, who substituted the midfielder in favour of another defender, Mathias Olivera.

The Italian manager explained the decision afterwards, admitting that he “felt” for De Bruyne, who did not look best pleased at being replaced before half time.