Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side had a disappointing 2024/2025 season for a whole host of reasons.
In an interview with CARRÉ, Riyad Mahrez claimed that Manchester City missed several productive attackers that they had within their ranks earlier such as himself, Raheem Sterling and Julian Alvarez, saying: “I think it was just the end of a cycle; they lost a lot of players.”
Mahrez continued: “We were more high-stat players. So, logically, it increased the level of the team. We were elite every year, almost 20-25 goals and assists per season. And there were a lot of us at that! “When you go from that to players who are also super good but perhaps less decisive, it’s more difficult. Even when [Erling] Haaland came, we were still there. My last year, I scored 15 goals with 13 assists. And there’s [Phil] Foden, Bernardo [Silva], Sterling, Jack [Grealish], Kevin [De Bruyne], Gundo [Ilkay Gundogan]… we were almost all at more than 20 goals. [Julian] Alvarez also.”
Manchester City fans agreed with Mahrez and criticised Jeremy Doku and Savinho as they lack the productivity to be considered elite.
Fans slate Jeremy Doku and Savinho as Riyad Mahrez explains Man City struggles
One Manchester City fan called Doku and Savinho out, writing: “If Doku and Savio don’t cut it, please sell them…you can’t keep relying on Haaland…teams will just double up on him.”
A second City supporter agreed with Mahrez as well, stating: “Proper analysis by Riyad. Our wingers needs to score and assist more.”
A third Manchester City fan admitted he misses Riyad Mahrez after witnessing Doku and Savinho yet to turn into world-class players, writing: “Mahrez, the way he talks about the team, defends the players, and welcomes new signings, he has really done more for City in the last two seasons than Savio and Doku. We miss you, [number] 26.”
Another fan pinpointed how the pair lacked competition last season due to Jack Grealish and Oscar Bobb often being injured, claiming: “City’s wingers lacked real competition last season. Grealish and Bobb were injured for most of the campaign. At their best, City had Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, Sterling, Sane and Grealish pushing each other to their peak through fierce competition.”
Thierry Henry claimed Mahrez was underappreciated when City won the treble, something which a fan pointed out as well, as he registered 15 goals and 13 assists: “It’s easy to forget because he was just outside the starting XI when it came to the finals but Mahrez had some huge moments in the treble season and played a really important role.”
Finally, a sixth Manchester City fan that after selling Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers while signing youngsters like Doku and Savinho, Txiki Begiristain deserves stick: “Just to remind you this club sold Palmer, Morgan Rogers to accommodate Savinho, Doku and this is how they thank us, Txixi Begiristain deserves criticism.”
It’s safe to say that the supporters could completely give up on both players unless they step up next season.
How Pep Lijnders can transform Jeremy Doku and Savinho
It is important to note that while the Manchester City fans have been critical of Savinho and Doku, they are just 21 and 23 respectively and more pertinently, wingers like Mahrez are almost impossible to replace.
However, Pep Lijnders has seemingly transformed Doku and Savinho already, as the pair were making constant runs in behind during the FIFA Club World Cup and looked far more dangerous in the final third.
The Belgian international scored two goals and grabbed an assist in three matches while the Brazilian also bagged a goal and an assist in the same number of appearances.
Perhaps Pep Lijnders has been working diligently to elevate both players’ games, having coached the likes of superstars like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane and the City widemen look ready to take their respective games to the next level now.
