Doku's centre-forward cameo gives Maresca a wildcard Haaland alternative for next season

Jeremy Doku’s unexpected stint as a centre-forward during Belgium’s 1-1 draw with Egypt in Seattle on Monday has given Manchester City a potential solution to one of their most pressing problems: how to rest Erling Haaland without losing attacking threat.

Doku, 23, started the World Cup group-stage match in his customary left-wing role but was pushed into a central position by Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia as the side searched for a way through Egypt’s defence. His blistering runs in behind and into the channels caused consistent problems, and while he did not get on the scoresheet, the performance offered a glimpse of what he could offer in a more advanced role.

The Belgian has enjoyed his best season yet at City, registering eight goals — his highest return since joining the club — and has established himself as a key figure in the squad. His trademark cut inside from the left onto his right foot became one of the most recognisable attacking patterns in the Premier League this season.

The experiment is significant context for incoming head coach Enzo Maresca, who is expected to take charge at the Etihad. City are reportedly confident the appointment will be confirmed, though the process has taken longer than anticipated.

Haaland, 25, played in all but three Premier League matches last season and featured in every Champions League game, contributing 38 goals across all competitions. That workload is unsustainable over a long campaign, particularly with a World Cup summer now in the calendar. Pep Guardiola acknowledged the issue during the season, admitting he was eager for Omar Marmoush to return from the Africa Cup of Nations to give Haaland a rest.

Marmoush, however, struggled to convince Guardiola he was a reliable alternative. The Egyptian scored just one goal in six Premier League appearances after returning from AFCON and started only five of City’s final ten league matches, often limited to brief cameos.

Doku has only briefly played as a centre-forward for City in cup competitions, so any move to use him more centrally would represent a tactical experiment for Maresca to explore in pre-season. But Monday’s showing in Seattle suggested the raw materials are there — and with a World Cup summer offering limited recovery time for Haaland, finding a credible rotation option will be one of the new head coach’s earliest priorities.