Jeremy Doku is everything Jack Grealish isn't as Man City see off impressive Fulham

In a cameo that lasted little over half an hour, Jeremy Doku was everything Jack Grealish, the player he replaced, had not been. Exciting, direct, happy to take a risk, looking like someone who could make something happen every time he touched the ball. And a goal threat.

In the grand scheme of things, a strike of venomous beauty - which, eventually, became the winner - could well carry a good degree of significance.

With over ten minutes left, Fulham were hammering at City’s door and an equaliser looked likely. But Doku then cut inside and his strike swerved at high velocity to give City breathing space.

Thanks to a goal from Rodrigo Muniz, they needed that space. Remember the moaning about Arsenal’s dark arts? Well, Ederson was booked for time-wasting here. That tells you what you need to know.

Apart from Mateo Kovacic, whose two goals cancelled out the opener from Andreas Pereira, City - as a unit - were generally uninspired. But that explosive intervention from Doku was, in the end, decisive.

The 22-year-old Belgian is such a threatening option for Pep Guardiola to have at his disposal. Against tired legs, he was always a danger.

But, long-term, Doku might well be disappointed if he is not ahead of Grealish in the pecking order. To see Grealish in such a limited position is faintly dispiriting. He might serve an important role in the City system but Guardiola has, essentially, drained almost every drop of unpredictability from the England man.

No wonder Grealish sometimes looks as though he has more fun in an international jersey than a club one. It is fun with England, functional with City.

A player should never be judged on statistics alone, which is just as well for Grealish. Since the beginning of last season, Grealish has scored only four Premier League goals and made a mere two assists.

That really is a poor return for a player of his ability. Against a really good Fulham team, Grealish was not the only City player to find the going tough.

This was a day when City had to dig in, a day when imagination was in short supply, a day when Adama Traore would have condemned the champions to defeat had he been remotely clinical, a day when they looked nothing like warm favourites to retain the title they have won in the previous four seasons.

If that actually did happen, it would mean Bernardo Silva being one of those with SEVEN Premier League winners’ medals in his collection.

Silva deserved special mention for this display. He provided a clever assist for the second from Kovacic but this was not actually a stellar performance from the Portuguese midfielder.

It was, though, a reminder of why Guardiola has treasured him over the past seven years. Silva is a tireless contributor to the cause,

He has often been linked with a move away but no-one has been as dutiful a servant to Pep and to City than Silva has. City have won so much in the Guardiola era, the statue builders will be busy for some time to come.

Pep himself will get one after he has left and Kevin de Bruyne will surely be immortalised in stone. Lord Pannick might even be honoured if he gets City off the 115 charges.

But when the Guardiola era ends and the greats are remembered, Silva should not be forgotten. Guardiola will never under-estimate Silva’s importance, hence a special hug for him when City eventually got over the line against a Fulham side that will wonder how it left with nothing.

As a manager, Marco Silva has now lost all ELEVEN of his matches against Manchester City. And he will probably never have a better chance of winning one than he did against an under-par City here. But champions find a way to win - and Doku made sure they did just that.

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