Steven Gerrard has claimed Jeremy Doku would get into virtually every Premier League starting XI — a view that will raise eyebrows among those who have watched the winger's sporadic City career.
The former Liverpool captain was speaking after Doku's game-changing cameo against his old club on Sunday. With the match deadlocked at 0-0, Enzo Maresca sent on the 24-year-old, and the contest shifted almost immediately.
Doku won the foul that saw Ryan Gravenberch dismissed, then had a hand in the first two goals. His deflected cross found Erling Haaland for the opener, before he curled in a solo effort of his own.
I think Doku would walk into 99% of the teams in the Premier League.
That was Gerrard's verdict, and he went further. He recalled watching Doku in an FA Cup final not long ago, describing him as top drawer then, and argued that having such a player to call on from the bench is a luxury few managers enjoy.
Maresca, for his part, can now look to his substitutes and see genuine match-winners. The Italian has quality across defence, midfield and the wide areas. The one glaring exception remains up front.
If Haaland were to pick up an injury, you do wonder how City would cope. The Norwegian is without a natural deputy, and the drop-off would be steep. That is the trade-off of a squad so richly stocked elsewhere.
Doku's contribution off the bench, though, offers a reminder of what Maresca has at his disposal. A game-changer in reserve is a potent weapon, and on this evidence, Gerrard's 99% claim does not look quite so outlandish.