Doku faces two-to-three week absence as City host Bournemouth in Maresca's Premier League debut

Jeremy Doku will sit out two to three weeks with a calf injury as Manchester City open their Premier League campaign against Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday — a fixture that also marks Enzo Maresca’s first top-flight game in charge of the club.

The Belgian winger started the Community Shield against Arsenal last weekend but was withdrawn at half-time, reappearing on the bench with an ice pack strapped to his calf. Maresca confirmed the extent of the problem in his pre-match press conference on Friday. “Unfortunately in the last game at half-time he was complaining about pain in his calf,” the City head coach said. “The idea with him anyway was to play 45 minutes so the change was planned but, at the moment, it looks like two or three weeks.” Doku is not expected back until the EFL Cup tie against Coventry on 5 September.

Matheus Nunes caused concern when he was replaced on the bench by Vitor Reis moments before kick-off in Cardiff, with reports suggesting he was being consoled by medical staff before heading back down the tunnel. Maresca has since confirmed the 27-year-old is fit and available to face Bournemouth.

Omar Marmoush also picked up a heavy knock late in the Community Shield, visibly struggling and asking Jack Grealish to take a free kick he had won. Maresca said after the game that the forward “looks okay” and did not list him as injured in Friday’s press conference, suggesting he too should be in contention on Saturday.

Teenage winger Ryan McAidoo, who impressed against Inter Milan in Hong Kong pre-season, has been managing a shoulder problem. Maresca noted last week that McAidoo had returned to squad training, and while he was not named in the side to face Arsenal, he did travel with the group to Cardiff. He could be available for the Bournemouth fixture.

Savinho, who missed the Community Shield through illness, is on the verge of a move to Tottenham and is not expected to feature in City’s matchday squad.