Jeremy Doku claims it is easy to shine in a team as good as Manchester City.
The Belgian winger was the standout performer as the champions thrashed Bournemouth 6-1 to return to the top of the Premier League on Saturday.
Doku opened the scoring and then had a hand in the next four goals as the Cherries were overwhelmed in a one-sided encounter at the Etihad Stadium.
It continued the positive impression the 21-year-old has made since his £55.4million move from Rennes, but Doku himself was modest about his output.
“I’m very proud but in this team it is so easy because there is a lot of movement,” Doku said.
“Everybody is top and when you play with top players it is easy to find the right pass, to find the right time to do something.
“Honestly, I knew when I had to go, I found the right balance and I think that was the most important.
“It was a good performance from me, from the team, so I’m very happy.”
Doku’s opener on the half-hour was the first of three City goals in a seven-minute purple patch.
He teed up the second for Bernardo Silva and then had another shot deflected in off Manuel Akanji.
Substitute Phil Foden – on for the injured Erling Haaland – was the next to benefit from Doku’s work before he played in Silva for his second. Nathan Ake also got on the scoresheet for City late on.
Luis Sinisterra scored a Bournemouth consolation, but the only cause for concern for City was the loss of Haaland at half-time with an ankle problem that will be assessed ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League encounter against Young Boys.
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola felt the scoreline was harsh on his side, but conceded his side had little answer to the brilliance of Doku.
He said: “We suffered with him in one-against-one situations because he has all options – go outside, go inside and finish, go outside and cut back.
“I think he was the one making the difference, I would say, in most of the chances.”
Bournemouth also have an injury concern after midfielder Alex Scott was forced off with a different knee injury to the one which delayed the start of his season until last month.
Elneny to leave Arsenal following eight-year stint
Mohamed Elneny has confirmed he will be leaving Arsenal after the Gunners' final game of the season.
Elneny is Arsenal's longest-serving player, having joined the Gunners from Swiss side FC Basel in January 2016.
Signed by Arsene Wenger, the Egypt international has played under three managers, having also appeared for Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta.
On Friday, the midfielder confirmed via a video on X (formerly Twitter) that his stint in north London was coming to an end.
"Gooners, I'm here today to send you a message, to say goodbye and thank you for everything you've done for me," Elneny said in a video posted on X on Friday.
"The love, the support and the kindness. I'm really going to miss you so much and you'll be in my heart forever."
Elneny has played 161 times for the Gunners, who face Everton at Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Arteta's team need to win if they are stand a chance of beating Manchester City to the Premier League trophy.
Fiorentina 2-2 Napoli: Kvaratskhelia keeps visitors' slim European hopes alive
Dethroned Italian champions Napoli's hopes of playing European football next season are hanging by a thread after they played out a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina in Serie A on Friday.
Napoli took the lead in the eighth minute through defender Amir Rrahmani, who nodded home a corner by Matteo Politano.
Cristiano Biraghi levelled for Fiorentina in the 40th minute from a free-kick, before M'Bala Nzola put the hosts in front two minutes later when he fired a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia responded with another stunning free-kick early in the second half to rescue a point for his team.
Eighth-placed Fiorentina, on 54 points and with a game in hand, are five points behind Lazio in seventh.
They can still earn a Europa League spot either by leapfrogging the Rome side or by winning the Europa Conference League final in which they face Greece's Olympiakos on May 29.
Ninth-placed Napoli, on 52 points, still have a slim chance of making the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Data Debrief
Fiorentina left-back Biraghi has now scored six goals from direct free-kicks since the start of 2021-22, which is behind only James Ward-Prowse (seven) - now of West Ham and formerly of Southampton - as the most across Europe's top five leagues in that period.
Kvaratskhelia also levelled via a direct free-kick, making this the first Serie A match in which both teams scored via that route since Fiorentina against Lazio in April 2018 (Jordan Veretout and Luis Alberto in that case).
Southampton 3-1 West Brom (3-1 agg): Saints set up play-off final with Leeds United
Southampton saw off West Brom 3-1 at St Mary's on Friday to set up a Championship play-off final showdown with Leeds United.
Leeds thumped Norwich City 4-0 at Elland Road 24 hours earlier to book their place at Wembley, where Southampton now await on May 26.
The first leg between the Saints and West Brom finished goalless - just like the other semi-final - but the home side's quality told in the end.
Russell Martin's side dominated the first-half possession, with David Brooks going closest to scoring with a shot that hit the outside of the post.
Southampton made the breakthrough via a powerful Will Smallbone finish four minutes into the second half after Gray Diangana lost possession.
Darnell Furlong had a shot helped over by Alex McCarthy, while David Brooks - who assisted the opener - had a strong penalty appeal rejected.
Southampton remained in control, though, and Adam Armstrong scored a second with a shot through Furlong's legs and past Alex Palmer.
Armstrong's second goal arrived from the penalty spot in the 86th minute after Tom Fellows fouled Ryan Manning in the box, rendering Cedric Kipre's late header a mere consolation.
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