A summer signing from Stade Rennais, the fleet footed Doku amply illustrated his all-round ability on what was just his second appearance for City.
He drew City level just sixty seconds after the restart with a cool, clinical finish after driving at the Hammers back line while his electric pace and superb control proved a thorn in the hosts side all afternoon long
Manager Guardiola expressed his own delight at Doku’s impact in the immediate aftermath of victory in East London.
And, speaking on the latest edition of Matchday Live, ex-City duo Curle and Wright-Phillips amplified that praise, saying the display illustrated how much of an asset Doku will prove to City going forward.
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“The attributes he has got with his pace mean that I think you are going to see that goal repeated,” declared former City skipper Curle.
“Driving at a full back, threatening to go on the outside, cutting inside and delivering that ball to the far corner.
“It’s something that we will hopefully see a lot of.
“He has got the threat and as he showed early doors, he let the full back know that he had the beating of him.
“When you are defender, and you are faced against such pace it’s the worst thing.
“You don’t mind facing someone who is a tricky player as they delay play and then you have people to come back and help you.
“But when it’s somebody who just gets it and runs at you it’s horrible!”
Curle’s admiration for Doku’s display and all-round threat - both on and off the ball - was shared by fellow Matchday Live special guest Wright-Phillips.
And for his part, the former City and England winger was just as taken by Doku’s calm, assured manner when driving at the Hammers defence.
“It was a fantastic finish and the part that caught my eye was how he got himself in that position,” Wright-Phillips pointed out.
“With the jinkiness and confidence to unsettle the defence, you get yourself in a position where you know the defenders can’t touch you.
“But then to have the maturity to look up and not shoot it but pass it around the goalkeeper into the far corner of the net… those are things you can’t teach people.
“He didn’t snatch at it; he didn’t rush it, it was like he took a deep breath and then passed it into the back of the net.”
Reflecting on what was our fifth straight league win of the season, there were also warm of words of praise from fellow special guest David James for the crucial role played by City keeper Ederson during a pulsating second half at the London Stadium.
The Brazilian international keeper produced an incredible save to deny Kurt Zouma’s bullet header with the scores locked at 1-1, diving to his left to palm the ball away.
That came soon after he had smartly come off his line to deny Michail Antonio with the striker bearing down on goal and former City and England keeper James was especially taken with the keeper’s key contribution.
“West Ham did everything they would have expected and the header from Zouma was superb, but Ederson’s save was even better.
“He showed that big strong left hand, and then there was the one on one (with Antonio).
“If Ederson hadn’t been too good, the game would have been everything West Ham wanted.
“Everyone played their part to the highest level, but Ederson was just superb.”
