Summer signing Jeremy Doku absolutely shone as Manchester City smacked six past Bournemouth at the weekend, managing to set two different Premier League records in what was just his 14th appearance in sky blue.
The rapid winger, who joined Man City from French side Stade Rennais in the most recent transfer window, has only just completed more than a dozen matches for the treble-winners and has only played eight league games and just sixth from the starting lineup.
However, it hasn’t taken the young man long to make his mark in Pep Guardiola’s side, having already impressed both domestically and in Europe, registering three goals and six assists already.
But it was Doku’s dazzling display against the Cherries on Saturday that saw him enter a very exclusive club, becoming not only the youngest person to equal the record for the most assists in a single Premier League game (four) but the youngest player to ever be involved in five goals too. Wow.
5 & 4 – With one goal and four assists at the age of 21 years and 161 days, Jérémy Doku has become both the youngest player in Premier League history with five goal involvements in a single game, as well as the youngest player to assist four goals. Griddy. pic.twitter.com/ipIAYBqK6C
Speaking after the game, his manager insisted that the youngster might have got off to a bit of a “shy” start but that not only is he “the fastest over five metres” you’ll find anywhere in Europe and is “an incredible footballer”, adding that his direct dribbling is somewhat of a rarity these days.
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Doku has no doubt given Jack Grealish a bit of a challenge on that left-hand side now too, with the Catalan coach saying that he wants the England star to be “angry” whenever he doesn’t play. You can see the full highlights from City’s 6-1 rout against Bournemouth (a.k.a. his personal showreel) below:
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Pep‘s squad is that they also recorded such a comprehensive victory without their two main goalscorers contributing to the tally on this occasion, as neither Erling Haaland nor Julian Alvarez got on the scoresheet this time.
When you have the numbers Haaland can put up, as well as an emerging striker like Alvarez, and now goals coming from everywhere else in the team too, that’s a force to be reckoned with.
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With Doku already announcing himself as a record-breaker so early into his time not only at the club but in English football in general, the Blues look like they might just have another world-beater on their hands — unlucky for everyone else in the league.
Meanwhile, over on the other side of Manchester, while Erik ten Hag’s side might have gotten back to winning ways with a dramatic late goal from captain Bruno Fernandes — who Roy Keane has argued shouldn’t even have the armband – but they’re breaking all kinds of unwanted records this season.
Featured Image — Manchester City/Jeremy Doku (via Instagram)
Sport
Former Manchester City player Joey Barton found guilty of assaulting his wife
Danny Jones
Ex-footballer Joey Barton has officially been found guilty of assaulting his wife following his two-day trial in the capital this week.
Barton, who played for Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and a number of other clubs, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 25 March, following an incident back in June 2021.
The former midfielder left his wife, 37-year-old Georgia Barton (McNeil), with a bleeding nose and a bruise on her forehead following a drunken row at their home in London.
Barton is said to have grabbed and pushed her to the floor before kicking her in the head. Married in 2019, the two have four children and are thought to still be together.
The 42-year-old was still employed in professional football as the manager of Bristol Rovers at the time, but he was ultimately sacked in October 2023.
His wife called 999 at the time, telling police that he had hit her, but later retracted her statement.
Born in Huyton, Merseyside, the chief magistrate Paul Goldspring recognised that the one-time England has a history of violence.
He was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, meaning he won’t serve time unless he commits another offence and has been ordered to pay £2,138.
Since dropping out of mainstream football, in particular, Barton has come under heavy criticism for allegations of racism, sexism and controversial right-wing politics; he even started an ‘anti-woke’ podcast called Common Sense with Joey Barton.
Back in June of last year, he was ordered to pay £35,000 in damages to settle a libel claim with presenter Jeremy Vine after a series of inflammatory comments made online.
The Radio 2 presenter sued Mr Barton earlier this year, after the former footballer wrote a series of posts suggesting Mr Vine had a sexual interest in children.
He also accused of threatening fellow former pro, Eni Aluko, after a torrent of abuse regarding her punditry online – the ex-England international even went so far as to say she no longer felt safe staying in the country.
The Hundred is calling for up-and-coming presenters to co-host this year’s tournament
Danny Jones
The Hundred 2025 is fast approaching and cricket’s fastest-growing tournament is once again asking for aspiring presenters to join their roster of co-hosts and help cover the action.
The fast-paced 100-ball format is entering its fifth year and next to T20, you find a more accessible and thrilling form of cricket, so it’s no wonder the competition is gaining a greater audience each year.
With that in mind, the need for a top-notch broadcast team is more crucial than ever but just like those who backed The Hundred in its infancy, they’re looking to invest in future creatives and on-screen talent.
Are you someone looking to get into presenting or know someone who is? Keep reading.
For the fifth year in a row, we want you to be part of #TheHundredRising! 🎤
So how does it work? Well, it’s pretty straightforward: The Hundred is looking for eight up-and-coming presenters to join their team of main venue hosts up and down the country.
Tasked with guiding and talking fans through an action-packed five weeks across all host cities, successful applicants will be responsible for building excitement and atmosphere inside the seven cricket grounds on each match day.
From player and pundit interviews to crowd engagement and interactive other activations with partnered brands, not to mention members of this year’s live music lineup, you’ll be a key part of putting out the top-quality sports and entertainment product they promise every year.
The best part of all is that no prior hosting experience is necessary – this is all about platforming you and The Hundred as a whole.
Successful applicants will be mentored by the main hosts at their respective venues and will attend a two-day workshop with special guests to get them ready to hit the stage this summer.
The ‘Rising Hosts’ scheme has been set up in tandem with their dedicated event production agency, Progress Productions, which will be in charge throughout the application and selection process.
Shortlisted applicants will then have their details shared with the ECB (English Cricket Board) who will be involved when it comes to making their final decisions.
It goes without saying that even if you just love sports or just want to find a way into the industry, this is an opportunity that is not to be missed.
Danny Jones -
6th November 2023 
